Templo de San Agustin, Colonial church in central La Paz, Bolivia
The Templo de San Agustin is a colonial church in central La Paz featuring three naves separated by stone columns. The building displays external buttresses and a main stone portal characteristic of religious architecture from that period.
Construction began in 1598 under architect Santiago de Vaca and was completed in 1668 during the viceregal period. This lengthy building phase coincided with the rise of Spanish colonial architecture in the city.
The building displays Moorish wood carvings beneath the choir and Gothic vaulting above the altar, reflecting its origins in the colonial era. This blend of different artistic influences made it a meeting point for European and local craftsmanship traditions.
The church is located on Mercado Street 1266, next to La Paz's City Hall, making it easy to find. Being an active Catholic worship site, it is open to visitors, though you should respect worship times and religious services.
The ceiling structure displays the only preserved example of 17th-century religious architecture from the viceregal period remaining in La Paz. This feature makes it a testimony to a building style that no longer exists elsewhere in the city.
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