Iglesia de San Francisco, Antigua Guatemala facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Saint Francis |
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Iglesia y convento de San Francisco El Grande (Spanish)
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Church facade
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| General information | |
| Status | Active Church |
| Architectural style | Spanish seismic baroque |
| Location | Antigua Guatemala,  Guatemala |
| Coordinates | 14°33′14.04″N 90°43′45.8394″W / 14.5539000°N 90.729399833°W |
| Completed | 1702 |
| Inaugurated | 1702 |
| Destroyed |
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| Owner | Franciscans |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Diego de Porres |
The Church of Saint Francis (also known as San Francisco el Grande) is a famous church in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala. Many people visit this church. It is especially popular because it holds the tomb of Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur, also known as Santo Hermano Pedro. He was a very important person.
Contents
History of the Church
Franciscan missionaries came to Guatemala from Spain in 1530. They were given 120 villages to help. In 1541, they moved to the Panchoy Valley. There, they built their first church. This early chapel was badly damaged in 1565.
Over the next ten years, people donated money. This helped build a new church in 1579. Some parts of this older building can still be seen today. They are some of the oldest parts of Antigua.
A Center for Learning
San Francisco el Grande became a very important place. It was a center for both religion and culture. San Buenaventura College was located in the monastery ruins. Students there learned about many subjects. These included theology, law, and science. The college also supported famous painters. Some of these artists were Cristóbal de Villalpando and Thomas de Merlo.
Earthquakes and Rebuilding
The church and its monastery grew during the 1600s. In 1684, the building was made stronger. It survived an earthquake in 1691. The main church building was finished by Diego de Porres. It opened in 1702.
However, earthquakes caused a lot of damage. The church was badly hit in 1717 and again in 1751. The 1773 Guatemala earthquake destroyed parts of it. The church has been rebuilt many times since then. But some areas still remain in ruins. For example, the fountain from the main hallway was moved in 1944. The statue of the Virgin Mary behind the main altar fell during the 1976 Guatemala earthquake.
Church Architecture
The front of the church is very special. It has twisted columns called "salomonic columns." This style is common in Spanish-American baroque buildings. It looks similar to the Antigua Guatemala Cathedral.
The facade has sixteen arched spaces. Most of these spaces hold statues of saints or friars. You can see statues of the Virgin Mary and other important figures. At the entrance to the monastery, there are old paintings. These show Franciscan friars with a skeleton.
The church used to have bell and clock towers. These were built in the 1600s and 1800s. Today, they are still in ruins. Inside the church, the altars were once very fancy. They had beautiful paintings and sculptures. These were made by famous artists of the time.
The church is also the start of Calle los Pasos. This street has the Stations of the Cross. People used to walk along it in a special procession.
Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur
Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur was a missionary from Spain. He worked in Guatemala. He was made a saint in 2002. His tomb is inside the Church of Saint Francis. Thousands of people visit his tomb every year. They come to ask for help and miracles.
In Movies
In 1935, the ruins of San Francisco were used in a movie. The church was not rebuilt until 1967. The movie was called The New Adventures of Tarzan. Some scenes were filmed here. These scenes showed Tarzan and his friends being captured. They were about to be sacrificed by people who worshipped the Green Goddess.
The movie was filmed entirely in Guatemala. Other filming locations included Chichicastenango, Livingston, and Tikal.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Francisco (La Antigua Guatemala) para niños
