Iglesia del Monasterio del Carmen Bajo de San Rafael facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iglesia del Monasterio del Carmen Bajo de San Rafael |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Location | |
| Municipality | Independencia |
| Country | Chile |
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The Iglesia del Monasterio del Carmen Bajo de San Rafael is a Catholic church in Santiago, Chile. It is located on Independencia Avenue in the Independencia area.
This building started as a monastery (a place where nuns live) in 1770. It was used as a monastery until 1958. Since 1985, it has been an important office for the Catholic Church in Santiago. The church and the remaining monastery buildings were declared a National Monument of Chile in 1983. This means they are very important historical buildings protected by the country.
Contents
Building History
How the Monastery Began
On January 30, 1762, a leader in Santiago named Luis Manuel de Zañartu asked King Charles III of Spain to build a monastery. He wanted a place in the city for the Discalced Carmelites, a group of Catholic nuns. The King agreed in July 1766.
The chosen spot for the monastery was in the La Cañadilla neighborhood, north of the Mapocho River.
Early Construction and Opening
Building of the first parts of the monastery started in 1767. They were finished by 1770. The church itself began to be built in 1774. Marcelino de la Peña and Juan Solís oversaw its construction.
The church officially opened on October 24, 1777. The leader Zañartu and members of the Real Audiencia (a high court) were there.
Repairs and Changes Over Time
In 1783, a flood from the Mapocho River damaged the church's foundations. This forced the nuns to move out for a while. They stayed in a house owned by the Dominican Order, another group of Catholic monks.
In 1870, the architect Fermín Vivaceta updated the church. He added a statue of St. Raphael the archangel to the church tower.
Later Use of the Building
The monastery was active until February 20, 1958. At that time, the nuns moved to a different location. The old church building was then left empty for some years.
In 1985, the building was changed to become the office for the Vicaría Episcopal Zona Norte. This is an important part of the Archdiocese of Santiago. Before this, the building had fallen into disrepair and was even used as a storage place for the nearby Vega Central.
Church Design
Outside the Church
The church stands next to Independencia Avenue. It is a long, rectangular building with one tower on its southeast side. There is a partially fenced area in front of the main entrance called an atrium.
The cloister (a special courtyard) has a colonial style. It has wings that cross each other, creating several smaller courtyards. The walls are made of adobe (a type of mud brick). The roof is covered with Spanish colonial roof tiles. It is partly held up by thin posts.
Church Architecture
The church is built in the neoclassical style. This means it uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. You can see this in its design elements. These include Corinthian order pilasters (flat columns attached to the wall) and columns. It also has an archivolt (a curved arch over a doorway) and a curved pediment (a triangular shape) at the top of the front entrance.
The Tower
The upper parts of the tower are made of wood covered with stamped iron sheets. The rest of the tower is made of brick. At the very top of the tower, you can see a statue of St. Raphael the archangel.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia del Monasterio del Carmen Bajo de San Rafael para niños
