Skip to main content

Primary sourceArtifactbuilt 1790s; declared monument 1940

San Carlos Convento

built 1790s; declared monument 1940

The Franciscan convent in San Lorenzo, Argentina, where San Martín hid his troops and fought his first American battle in 1813.

San Martín hid his troops here before his first American battle, the 1813 Battle of San Lorenzo.

Ask José de San Martín about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Front view of a white colonial-style church with a tall bell tower topped by a cross, a clock face with dark shutters, arched doors and windows, and a red-ringed round emblem on the gable. Green trees and a paved path lead to the entrance.
San Carlos Convent, San Lorenzo, Santa Fe, Argentina.

About this source

What it is

San Carlos Convent is a Franciscan convent in San Lorenzo, Santa Fe, Argentina. It was built in the 1790s and is now a National Historic Monument, declared in 1940.

Why it matters

José de San Martín followed a royalist ship sailing the Paraná River and hid his troops inside the convent before launching a surprise attack, winning the Battle of San Lorenzo in 1813, his first battle on American soil. After the fighting, the convent was used to treat wounded soldiers. The site later also hosted an armistice signed by Manuel Belgrano and other leaders in 1819, showing its continued role in the independence era.

Look closer

  • Why would a convent be a useful place to hide troops before a surprise attack?
  • What does the building's continued use as a museum tell us about how Argentina remembers this battle?
  • What questions can't this building alone answer about what happened during the battle?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of José de San Martín on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More José de San Martín sources

Meet the AI José de San Martín →
A curved saber with a dark metal grip and cross guard, and a long curved blade, displayed in a glass case alongside its gold-colored metal scabbard with black leather covering and a ring attachment.Artifact

Primary source

Curved Saber of San Martín

early 19th century

Photograph of a handwritten letter on aged paper in a bound archival volume, with a red-bordered label reading 4172 and page number 1 at top right. The cursive text announces a victory and is signed with a flourish; a red circular stamp appears near the signature. Address line at bottom left.Letter

Primary source

Letter to Bernardo O'Higgins Announcing the Victory at Maipú

José de San Martín · 5 April 1818

Open booklet with a printed facsimile page on the left titled 'Maximas para mi hija, 1825' listing numbered maxims in Spanish, and a handwritten manuscript page on the right with the same maxims in cursive. Caption notes it is a facsimile of a document in the Museo Mitre.Document

Primary source

Máximas para mi Hija

José de San Martín · 1825

Handwritten Spanish manuscript page on lined paper, with a faded seal at upper left. The text begins 'En el Nombre de Dios todo poderoso' and continues with San Martín's will, mentioning his daughter Mercedes, a pension for his sister Elena, and his sable given to Juan Manuel de Rosas.Document

Primary source

Testamento de San Martín

José de San Martín · 1844

Oil painting of a man with dark, swept-back hair and sideburns wearing a dark military uniform with gold embroidered collar and cuffs and gold epaulettes. He holds a light-colored staff and a light blue and white flag with a laurel branch at upper right.Painting

Primary source

Portrait of José de San Martín

c. 1828

Ready when you are

Start chatting with José de San Martín now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions