Iglesia de Santo Domingo (La Serena) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iglesia de Santo Domingo |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Location | |
| Municipality | La Serena |
| Country | Chile |
The Iglesia de Santo Domingo (which means Saint Dominic Church) is a Catholic church in La Serena, Chile. You can find it in the city's old historic area. This church was named a National Monument of Chile on May 16, 2001, which means it's a very important historical building.
It is one of five old churches in La Serena built from stone. The main part of the church was built between the 1600s and 1700s. Its style is called Mannerist. However, its unique bell tower was added later, in the second half of the 1800s.
Building the First Church
The Dominican Order, a group of Catholic priests, arrived in Chile in 1615. Their goal was to teach Christianity to people in areas like Copiapó and Aconcagua. Between 1673 and 1675, the Dominicans built the first church in La Serena. This church was made of stone blocks and wood. It was dedicated to Saint Dominic, their founder.
On September 15, 1686, a famous English pirate named Edward Davis tried to attack La Serena. He had about 200 buccaneers with him. They tried to take over the city but failed. Davis and his men had to hide inside the church and its nearby buildings. Soldiers and local fighters pushed back the attackers. Davis was forced to run away, but not before he set fire to some parts of the church's buildings.
Rebuilding the Church
After the pirate attack, the church needed to be rebuilt. It reopened around 1775. A friar named Domingo Meneces helped a lot. He found the money needed to finish rebuilding the church. Workers used stones from the old church for the new one. They also used limestone from a nearby quarry and wood from far away places.
There is a local story about the church's rebuilding. It says that huge tidal waves threatened to flood the city. The waves reached far inland, almost to a deep ditch called Santo Domingo. People were very scared. They took the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary out of the church. They carried it in a special parade. The story says that the waters, which had come about a mile inland, went back to normal because of the statue's presence.
On January 1, 1801, a strong earthquake hit La Serena. It badly damaged the church. The building had to be repaired, and some parts were rebuilt again.
In 1825, silver was discovered in a place called Arqueros. This made La Serena grow and become richer. This wealth helped to renovate this church and other churches in the city. Another earthquake in 1850 led to more remodeling work.
Between 1906 and 1911, some Belgian priests managed a big renovation project. They covered the outside stone walls with cement. They also built a completely new tower for the church. The church was repaired again between 1961 and 1962. During this time, an architect named Eduardo Arancibia and a stonemason named Luis Núñez worked on it. They removed the cement from the outside walls. This helped to show the original stone look of the church. The tower was also fixed during this time.
Over the years, different groups of priests have looked after the church. These included the Carmelites and the Diocesanos. Today, the church is managed by a group called the Instituto Secular Voluntas Dei. They have an agreement with the Dominicans, who still own the church.
Church Architecture
The main open space inside the church, called the nave, is about 45 meters (148 feet) long. It is also 9 meters (30 feet) wide. The main altar has a beautiful image of Our Lady of the Rosary. The altars on the sides have statues of Saint Dominic and Francis of Assisi.
The outside front of the church, called the facade, is made of limestone. The front door is made from cedar wood. It is framed by tall, flat columns called pilasters. Above the door, there is a broken triangular shape called a pediment. There is also a small space, or niche, above the entrance. This niche holds a statue of Our Lady of the Rosary. The church building is in a style called Mannerist. Its bell tower has a mix of styles, which is called eclectic.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Santo Domingo (La Serena) para niños
