San Francisco Church, Santiago de Chile, Colonial Franciscan church in Santiago Centro, Chile
San Francisco Church is a baroque stone church building in Santiago Centro, among the oldest places of worship still standing in the capital. Its rectangular layout includes a Victorian bell tower added later, while the interior displays a wooden ceiling with Mudéjar influences.
The site was established as a chapel in 1554 when Pedro de Valdivia granted land to the Franciscans during the earliest years of the city. Earthquakes in 1583 and again in the 19th century prompted reconstruction efforts, with the current tower completed in 1857.
The name honors the Franciscan order, which founded its convent here and continues to administer worship and pastoral care. Visitors walking inside encounter a coffered ceiling shaped by Moorish craftsmanship, one of the few surviving examples of this woodworking tradition in the Chilean capital.
The church on Avenida O'Higgins stands within walking distance of Universidad de Chile metro station and remains open during religious services and set visitor hours. The adjacent colonial museum offers additional context about the architecture and can be explored after seeing the interior.
The structure has survived more than 15 earthquakes measuring above magnitude 7, a testament to colonial building techniques adapted to seismic conditions. The current bell tower is younger than the rest and was only completed after another major quake in the 19th century.
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