Santo Domingo Church

The church of Santo Domingo

The Santiago audio-guided tour invites you to quiet contemplation before the church of Santo Domingo, founded by the Dominicans, the third religious order to establish itself in Chile after the order of Mercy and the Franciscans.

Four churches facing earthquakes

Building a durable church was no small matter in a country located on a seismic fault. The Dominicans raised a first chapel in 1557, then a stone church, then a third in brick, all destroyed by earthquakes. The construction of the fourth and last church began in 1747, this time led by Portuguese craftsmen, and it still stands before you, having crossed without damage all the tremors since. It houses the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Virgin of Pompeii.

What there is to see

Inside, in contemplation, the visitor discovers the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary and the colonial architecture of the building, which resisted the earthquakes where the previous ones had succumbed. The convent is still occupied by the Dominican friars and houses the teaching of theology. Listed as a historic monument, the church testifies to the long presence of religious orders in Chile.

Practical information

The church of Santo Domingo is in the centre of Santiago. A place of worship in activity, it can generally be visited during the day, with respect for silence and services, the hours possibly varying according to the season. Access is on the level.

Who founded the church of Santo Domingo?

The Dominicans, the third religious order established in Chile; the present church, the fourth, was begun in 1747.

Why was the church rebuilt several times?

Because the first three buildings were destroyed by earthquakes; the fourth church, of 1747, has resisted since.