Church of San Pedro de Atacama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of San Pedro de AtacamaIglesia San Pedro de Atacama |
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Facade of Iglesia de San Pedro de Atacama
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Church |
| Location | |
| Location |  San Pedro de AtacamaEl Loa Province, Antofagasta Region |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 17th century |
| Materials | Mud and Cacti wood |
The Church of San Pedro de Atacama (also called Iglesia San Pedro de Atacama) is a Catholic church located in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. It was built a long time ago, during the time when Spain ruled over parts of South America. Many people say it's the second oldest church in all of Chile! The church is made from a special local material called adobe, which is like sun-dried mud bricks. This gives the church a simple but beautiful look. It was first built in the 1600s, then changed a bit in the 1700s and 1800s. In 1951, it was officially named a historical monument, meaning it's a very important old building.
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Where is the Church Located?
The church is in the town of San Pedro de Atacama. You can find it on the west side of the main square, called the Plaza de Armas. This square is lined with trees. The church is also close to the town's oldest building, the Casa Incaica, which was built way back in 1540. San Pedro was originally home to the native Atacameño people, also known as Kunzas. Today, it's a busy place for tourists. It is about 314 kilometers (195 miles) away from the city of Antofagasta.
A Look at the Church's History
The town had an earlier church built more than 100 years before the one we see today. The current church was built in the 1600s, during the time when Spain ruled Chile. The church is dedicated to Saint Peter, who is its patron saint. A patron saint is like a special protector or guide for a place or group of people.
The church has been changed and fixed many times over the years. Its current walls were built in 1744. A tall tower was added in 1964, and other construction happened in 1978. In 2009, a big project was done to restore the church, which is about 765 square meters (8,234 square feet) in size. This work helped keep the old building strong and beautiful.
What Makes the Church Special?
The Church of San Pedro de Atacama is built using adobe material, which is a mix of earth, water, and straw, dried in the sun. It has three doors, and the main entrance has an arched stone frame. The ceiling is made with strong wooden beams. Both the inside and outside of the church are painted white, which makes it look very clean and bright. The altar inside is painted with bright colors.
The walls, roof, and entrance door are made from special local woods. These include algarrobo wood and cardón, which is a type of cactus wood. These pieces of wood are held together using llama leather. This building method is very old and traditional in the altiplano region, which is a high plateau in the Andes mountains. The roof has large algarrobo wood beams covered with slices of cactus logs. You can often see algarrobo trees and pepper trees growing near the church.
Inside the church, you'll find altarpieces that are beautifully carved and painted. There are also statues of St. Mary and St. Joseph that have special fluorescent lights, making them glow.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Pedro (San Pedro de Atacama) para niños
