Yuriria is the site of the convent of Saint Augustine, a breathtaking example of sixteenth-century architecture. Built beside the lagoon that was the first hydraulic project of the vice-royal era, the convent rises solemnly above the water like a fortress.

Situated in the south of the state, this valley was the preserve of Augustinian monks, who oversaw the complete assimilation of the native population to colonial methods of agriculture, production and education, as well as religious instruction. However, the conquistadors' most pressing need was to raise forts, a necessity which resulted in the singularly fort-like convent of Saint Augustine, with its high, thick walls topped by battlements.

The mastery of the arts achieved by the native craftsmen, plus the originality of their decorative style, is visible in the doorway of the church of Saint Augustine, where there is a genuine fusion of the Spanish plateresque style of ornamentation with local esthetic sensibilities. The gothic vaulting of the corridors that once led through the cloisters today leads us to a museum housing a permanent exhibit of great importance, consisting of religious and secular art along with examples of the first canoes and fishing tackle used in the area. Fed by the river Lerma, the lagoon was the first hydraulic project of the viceroyal era, being constructed for the benefit of the region's agriculture. As visitors will attest, the combined impact of the convent and the lagoon is nothing less than monumental.