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Church of San Francisco

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BOKI
BOKI
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4 out of 5
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Church of San Francisco

  • June 30, 2009
  • Rated 4 of 5 by LenR from Townsville, Australia
Church of San Francisco

This is probably the most important Christian monument in Lima and it is certainly the most interesting. While my wife and I spent a few minutes in many churches in Lima, our time here extended to an hour or more. The church with the impressive main portal, the affiliated convent, the external plaza and the two churches of ‘El Milagro’ and ‘La Soledad’ form together possibly the most successful and impressive monument of colonial architecture in the whole of Latin America.

Building started in 1542 but it was not consecrated until 1673, the church in Baroque style, is of great aesthetic beauty. The impressive carved portal had an influence on other churches in Lima. The temple has three naves, a carved altar, beautiful sacristy, wide windows and a rich pictorial collection. The central nave has outstanding ceiling paintings in a style which is a blend of Spanish and Moorish style.

The convent has cloisters, plazas, library and living rooms. The portal is adorned with authentic Sevillian tiles placed in 1620. It has a "Museo de Arte Religioso" (religious art museum) rich in silver objects, chasubles embroided with gold and silver, fine carved wood, parchments and many other points of interest. The complex has been declared a "Cultural World Heritage Site" by UNESCO. It was restored a few years ago with the support of "Banco de Crédito del Perú".

We did a guided tour through the monastery. The tour takes approx. one hour and is in Spanish or English. Inside you will be amazed by the beautiful preserved wooden stairs, the outstanding library with over 25000 volumes, the ‘Zurbarán – Hall’, small chapels, distinctive religious paintings, and small patios of typical Spanish style decorated with lovely tiles from Seville.

Definitely the highlight of the tour was the descent into the convents catacombs that served for many years as a burial ground. An estimated 80,000 deceased are buried here and their remains are stacked together in various ways. It is somewhat grisly but very interesting all the same. I understand that the catacombs were ‘rediscovered’ in 1951 after being ‘lost’ for many years.

From journal Central Lima Attractions

Editor Pick

Church of San Francisco

  • November 16, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by BOKI from Dallas, Texas
Church of San Francisco

This beautiful church was built in 1673 and is one of the few original large Lima buildings that survived the city's many earthquakes. The interior is gorgeous and imposing, but a far more amazing attraction rests underneath the church. A network of catacombs, recently discovered, is piled with the bones of 70,000 of the city's dead. The bones are all nicely arranged, and the moldy air adds to a truly bizarre and unique experience. Also of note is the large painting of the Last Supper, which has a devil painted in it (see if you can find it in the enclosed photo). Admission is s5, open 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. PS Don't believe the two cute ladies that will try to sell you the pictures of the catacombs because "you are not allowed to take any inside." You can take your own photos, but theirs are pretty good and maybe worth the 1 sol. :)

From journal What to do and where to stay in Lima

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