Basilica of San Francisco, La Paz
Appearance
Basilica of San Francisco | |
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16°29′47″S 68°08′14″W / 16.4965°S 68.1373°W | |
Location | La Paz, Bolivia |
Country | Bolivia |
Denomination | Catholic Church |
Website | www |
History | |
Founded | 1549 |
Dedication | Francis of Assisi |
Architecture | |
Architectural type | Andean Baroque |
Groundbreaking | 1743 |
Completed | 1758 |
Administration | |
Division | Archdiocese of La Paz |
The Basilica of San Francisco in the city of La Paz, Bolivia, is a Catholic church under the advocation of Francis of Assisi. It is located in the center of the city, in the square that bears its name, "Plaza San Francisco".
History
It was built between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries in the so-called baroque mestizo style. Milestones in its history include:
- In 1548, the Convent of San Francisco was founded along the river Choqueyapu by Fray Francisco de Morales.
- In August 1549 the construction of the first Church of San Francisco began, which was concluded in 1581.
- Between 1608 and 1612 the first church collapsed as a result of a snowfall of considerable proportions.
- Between 1743 and 1744 the construction of the present church began.
- In 1753 is finished with the closure and the roof of the church's dome.
- On April 23, 1758, it was consecrated.
- In 1790, the carved façade is finished.
- In 1885, the construction of its single tower began.
- In 1948, it was declared a minor basilica.
- Between 1950 and 1960, the convent was demolished and the atrium reconfigured.
- Between 1965 and 2005, the church and convent were restored, and part of the convent was enabled as a museum.
Sources
- ÁLVAREZ LÓPEZ, Rolando. CRONOLOGÍA de SEPTIEMBRE y OCTUBRE de 2010. Rev. Fuent. Cong., oct. 2010, vol.4, no.10, p. 76-80. ISSN 1997-4485. Consulted in www.revistasbolivianas.org.bo, in June, 2013.
- Iglesias mostrarán su patrimonio arquitectónico en la “Noche Blanca”, published in El Diario, October, 19 of 2012, consulted in www.eldiario.net, in June, 2013.
- Centro cultural Museo San Francisco, Official Web Site http://www.museosanfranciscobolivia.com/
Image gallery
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The façade.
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The cloister.
See also
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
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