San Francisco Church

The church of San Francisco

The Santiago audio-guided tour invites you to quiet contemplation before the church and convent of San Francisco, one of the most important historic monuments of the city and one of the oldest colonial buildings of the country.

The church that resisted earthquakes

Founded in 1622 by the Franciscan friars, the church presents thick stone walls that have resisted the numerous earthquakes that have shaken the city; its bell-tower, however, was rebuilt three times and today displays a Victorian style of the nineteenth century. Part of the convent was sold at the beginning of the twentieth century to create the Paris/Londres quarter; the other houses the museum of Colonial Art, which presents paintings, sculptures and objects retracing the colonial period, as well as a room dedicated to Gabriela Mistral, who bequeathed her Nobel Prize medal.

What there is to see

Inside, in contemplation, the visitor raises their eyes towards the fine Mudéjar-style coffered ceiling of the nave and approaches the altar, where the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, said to have belonged to Pedro de Valdivia, is venerated as the protector of the place. It is the only church to have resisted fifteen earthquakes of strong magnitude. The cloister and the museum prolong the visit in tranquillity.

Practical information

The church of San Francisco is on the Alameda, in the centre of Santiago. A place of worship, entry into the church is free, with respect for silence and services. The adjoining museum of Colonial Art can be visited for a modest sum, according to its own hours; access is on the level.

When was the church of San Francisco founded?

In 1622 by the Franciscan friars; it is one of the oldest colonial buildings of Chile.

What can you see at the museum of Colonial Art?

Paintings, sculptures and objects of the colonial period, including a collection on Saint Francis of Assisi and a room dedicated to Gabriela Mistral.