San Francisco Church

Background

Located in the heart of Santiago, San Francisco Church was the first Catholic church built in Chile. It was established by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia in 1554 as a chapel that housed a polychrome sculpture of the Virgin Mary. Following an earthquake in 1583, which destroyed the chapel, Franciscan monks erected a new church in its place. The original plan of the church was a Latin cross that was modified with the addition of lateral naves at the end of the eighteenth century. The bell tower was reconstructed in 1857, and in 1881 the baroque altars were replaced with neoclassical ones. Beyond the architecture, San Francisco Church houses one of the most important collections of colonial-era art in Chile, including significant paintings and frescoes commissioned by the viceroy.

How We Helped

During severe storms in 2002, the roof of the church and convent were badly damaged. Water infiltrated the already compromised roofing system and cascaded down the interior walls of the church, severely damaging and, in some instances, irreparably destroying frescoes. In 2003, WMF helped fund the restoration of the church roof, using traditional materials and techniques. The project was supported by a partnership between the Corporación del Patrimonio Cultural de Chile and WMF through the Robert W. Wilson Challenge to Conserve Our Heritage. Patrimonio Cultural went on to fund the restoration of the roof of the convent, the building that houses the Museo Colonial. An inaugural event was held in December 2004 to celebrate the completion of the project.

Why It Matters

The San Francisco Church and Convent complex is the oldest in the Chile and the only remaining example of ecclesiastical architecture from Santiago’s colonial period. The church has been a continuous presence for the local community for over 400 years; the museum houses one of the most important collections of colonial art in Chile. The successful restoration of the roof system will allow the historic complex to survive many more years.