Church of Quinchao facts for kids
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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Church of Quinchao in mid-2011, following its restoration
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| Location | Quinchao Island, Quinchao, Chiloé Province, Los Lagos Region, Chile |
| Part of | Churches of Chiloé |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iii) |
| Inscription | 2000 (24th Session) |
| Area | 1.286 ha (3.18 acres) |
The Church of Quinchao (known as Iglesia de Quinchao in Spanish) is a very important and beautiful church located in the village of Quinchao. This village is on Chiloé Island in Chile. It's a special place for many people who go on a pilgrimage (a religious journey) on Chiloé.
This church is one of 16 amazing wooden churches in the area. Together, they are called the Churches of Chiloé. They are so unique that UNESCO (a part of the United Nations) named them a UNESCO World Heritage Site on November 30, 2000. This means they are important treasures for the whole world! The Church of Quinchao was also named a National Monument of Chile on July 26, 1971.
The church is dedicated to a special saint called Our Lady of Grace. Her feast day is celebrated every year on December 8. On this day, hundreds of people visit Quinchao village for the Our Lady of Grace Festival. It's one of the biggest religious celebrations on the archipelago (a group of islands) of Chiloé. Only the festival for Jesus of Nazareth in Caguach is larger. This church is also the main church for one of the 24 parishes in the Diocese of Ancud.
Contents
Where the Church Is Located
The Church of Quinchao has a large open space in front of it. This area is like a big courtyard. It runs along the coast, about one block away from the sea. This makes it easy to see and visit.
How the Church Was Built
The original church building was finished in 1880. It was built using strong local woods like cypress, canelo, and avellano trees. Over the years, the church has been repaired and updated many times. Some of the biggest repairs happened in 1906, 1960, 1993, and most recently in 2010.
This church and the Church of Santa María de Loreto, Achao are the only ones left that were built by the Jesuits. The Jesuits were a group of priests who helped build many churches in the past.
The Church of Quinchao is the biggest church on Chiloé Island! It is about 52.8 meters (173 feet) long and 18.4 meters (60 feet) wide. Its tall tower reaches up to 18.3 meters (60 feet) high.
History of the Church
The spot where the church stands was first chosen in 1605. People were talking about it even before 1767. In 1906, some of the outside walkways of the church were removed. In the 1960s, a section at the back of the church was also taken away. A big restoration project for the church happened in 1993.
Because of its special history and design, the church was officially named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 2000.
Bringing the Church Back to Life
By 2006, the Church of Quinchao had become very old and weak. It was in such bad shape that it had to be closed. No one could go inside because there was a fear it might fall down! It was the first of the Chiloé churches to get a complete makeover.
The restoration work was very detailed. Workers put in a new concrete foundation to make it strong. They also installed new beams made of coigüe wood and a new wooden floor structure. More than 80% of the main wooden parts had to be replaced. However, about 95% of the old wood that was still good was reused, which is great for recycling! They also put on 90,000 new larch shingles (wooden tiles) on the roof and walls.
Before the restoration, the church was mostly made from coigüe, ulm, and cypress woods. After the restoration, much more larch and mañío wood were used. The first big restoration work took place between 1995 and 1997. Then, in 2006, there was another large investment for more repairs. During this time, the church's tall tower was carefully taken down and rebuilt piece by piece.
In 2012, the local community and a group called the "Friends of the Churches of Chiloé" received an award. The National Monuments Council gave them a conservation prize for their amazing work. This award recognized the two main stages of restoration that happened between 2007 and 2008, and again from 2009 to 2010. Patricia Mondaca was the main architect who led this important project.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Gracia (Quinchao) para niños
- List of Jesuit sites
