Iglesia de San Francisco, Santiago de Chile facts for kids
The San Francisco Church (or Iglesia de San Francisco in Spanish) is a very old and important church in downtown Santiago de Chile. It was built by Franciscan monks. This church, along with its nearby convent, is one of the oldest buildings from the colonial times in Chile. It is famous for surviving many strong earthquakes. About 15 earthquakes, all stronger than magnitude 7, have hit the area. The church has stood strong through them all!
History of the San Francisco Church
The San Francisco Church was officially opened in 1622. Its first bell tower was destroyed by a big earthquake in 1647. This earthquake also damaged a part of the church's choir area. However, the rest of the church building stayed standing.
In 1730, another strong earthquake hit. This one badly damaged the rebuilt bell tower. So, the tower had to be taken down in 1751. The bell tower you see today was built much later, in the mid-1800s. It was designed by an architect named Fermín Vivaceta. This tower has a special clock that makes it easy to spot.
In the early 1900s, a part of the church's convent was sold. It was then torn down to make space for a new neighborhood called Barrio París-Londres. The other part of the convent is now home to the Museo Colonial. This museum shows many interesting things from Chile's past.
Amazing Architecture of the Church
The San Francisco Church was first built in the shape of a Latin cross. But over time, side sections were added. This changed its shape to a rectangle. The front of the church has been updated three times to change its look.
Inside the church, the main area (called the nave) has a special ceiling. This ceiling is made of many decorated wooden panels. It is called a coffered ceiling. Its style is known as Mudéjar art, which mixes Christian and Islamic designs. Work on this beautiful ceiling began in 1615.
See also
You can read more about the San Francisco Church in Spanish here: Iglesia de San Francisco (Santiago de Chile) para niños
