Eight years after the conquest of Mexico, Hernán Cortés donated land to the Franciscan friars to build their temples; this was the case of the San Juan Bautista Church and Convent. The design is attributed to Fray Juan de la Cruz. In that period the monastery, temple and the garden of San Juan Bautista were built. Note that the garden was what is now known as the Parque de Coyoacán. The arches that provided the entrance to the courtyard of the convent remain standing. With a beautiful delicately painted interior and serene cloister, it is a must see site in the center of Coyoacán.

The construction work of this place, covering 20 thousand square meters, was carried out between 1522 and 1552. The building was modified in 1804, 1926 and 1947. The land was fragmented and only part became the property of the Delegation of Coyoacán. In 1925, a year before the outbreak of the Cristero War, the José Rosas school where Catholic education was provided was closed.