Church of San Francisco, Castro facts for kids
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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Church of San Francisco facade
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| Location | Castro, Chiloé Island, Chiloé Province, Los Lagos Region, Chile |
| Part of | Churches of Chiloé |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iii) |
| Inscription | 2000 (24th Session) |
| Area | 0.6727 ha (1.662 acres) |
The Church of San Francisco (which means Iglesia de San Francisco in Spanish) is a very important Catholic church. You can find it in Castro, Chile, right next to the main square called Plaza de Armas. This church is the main one in Chiloé's capital city.
The building was finished in 1912. It is quite large, covering an area of 1,404 square meters. It is 52 meters wide and 27 meters tall. The dome above the main altar area reaches 32 meters high. Its two towers are even taller, standing at 42 meters! Sometimes people mistakenly call it a "cathedral." However, the real cathedral for this area is in Ancud. The Church of San Francisco is still very important. It is the head of one of the 24 church areas, called parishes, in the local diocese.
This church was recognized as a Chilean National Monument in 1979. Later, on November 30, 2000, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site. This means it's a special place protected for everyone to enjoy.
History of the Church
Castro is one of the oldest cities in Chile that has been continuously lived in. It was started in February 1567 by Martín Ruiz de Gamboa. He was sent by his father-in-law, who was the governor of Chile at the time. Martín Ruiz de Gamboa's job was to build a city on the Chiloé Archipelago. He named it Santiago de Castro.
In that same year, a church was built. It was named after the apostle Saint James (Santiago in Spanish). This church was used to teach the local people of Chiloé about Christianity. Over the years, the church burned down and was rebuilt many times. It was rebuilt again in 1771. After that, a group of priests called the Jesuits managed it.
The church burned down once more in 1902. When it was rebuilt, it looked like a Gothic stone church. However, it was built using the amazing wood craftsmanship that Chiloé is famous for. A priest named Fray Ángel Custodio Subiabré Oyarzún oversaw the building work. He was in charge of the church from 1910 to 1912.
Church Design and Materials
The Church of San Francisco has a unique design. An Italian architect named Eduardo Provasoli created its plans. Unlike most other churches of Chiloé, this church has a Neo-Gothic style. Local carpenters from Chiloé built the church. They worked under the guidance of Salvador Sierpe.
The carpenters used wood from the area for the church's structure. They used strong woods like alerce, cypress, and coigüe. Other native woods were also used. Inside the church, the walls are made from rauli beech and olivillo wood. But the outside of the church, including the roof and outer walls, is covered with sheets of galvanized iron.
Inside the church, you can see several important statues. There is a statue of the Archangel Michael. It shows him winning against Satan. There is also a statue of Saint Alberto Hurtado. You can also find a copy of the statue of Jesus that is in the Church of Caguach. That church is located in Quinchao, also on Chiloé.
The front of the church is often painted in bright, cheerful colors. This makes it stand out beautifully in Castro's Plaza de Armas.
Gallery
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Church interior.
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Altar of Archangel Michael.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Francisco (Castro) para niños
