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San Francisco Church

Visit the magnificent San Francisco Church in the heart of downtown Lima, Peru. When you're done reading the report, take the San Francisco Church Quiz to test your knowledge and reveal one last photo.

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INTRODUCTION

San Francisco Church, Lima, Peru.

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Tucked away in the old, colonial center of Lima stands the fascinating San Francisco Church. Just two blocks from the Plaza Mayor (previously called the Plaza de Armas) where the more well known Lima Cathedral is located, San Francisco Church is well worth the short walk. The church first greets you with its striking yellow steeples rising above a magnificent plaza where vendors sell handicrafts and snacks and visitors feed the ubiquitous pigeons. Inside the church are the beautiful main cathedral,

Steeples of San Francisco Church silhouetted in bright Lima sun.

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a monastic library containing centuries-old tomes, paintings by important artists, gilded religious carvings, and a peaceful courtyard. Last but certainly not least, the spooky tunnels and caverns of the Catacombs, Lima's first cemetery, are found below the church.

Main hall of San Francisco Church.

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Construction of the San Francisco Church began in 1546. The February 4th, 1656, earthquake toppled the church, necessitating its reconstruction, which was completed by 1672. The church has since survived many tremors including the 1746 earthquake, which destroyed many other buildings in Lima, and the 1970 quake (which completely obliterated the village of Yungay in the mountains north of Lima). Recent renovation (post-1987) has been accomplished with the aid of UNESCO.

This colonial-era church is a beautiful example of Moorish style, or "mudejar," architecture. Inside are found colorful tiles from Seville, Spain (the largest collection in Lima), marble columns, and intricately carved cedar doors, cupolas, choir stalls, and stairways. A peacful courtyard surrounded by arched passageways is found inside.

Principal stairway.

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Courtyard and surrounding arched hallways.

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THE LIBRARY

The monastery's library houses ancient texts.

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Turn right at the top of the principal stairway to enter the monastery's library. The library houses over 20,000 volumes dating back to the 1400's, including manuscripts, chronicles, newspapers, and books on theology, philosophy, history, literature, and law.

The monks of the Franciscan Order were deliberate in their acquisition of the library's texts, allocating an annual budget of 20 Castillian ducats gold pieces for their purchase during the 1600's. Any loss of books was grounds for punishment.

Ornate furniture and spiral staircases decorate the library.

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Some highlights in the library's collection are:
1) An edition of the Bible edited by Arias Montano between 1571-1572 under the auspices of King Felipe II;
2) The three volume "Teatro del Todo el Mundo" (Theatre of the Whole World) containing maps recorded by Juan Jansonio in Amsterdam in the 17th century;
3) The first dictionary of the Spanish language, "El Diccionario de Autoridades," edited by the Royal Academy of Madrid in 1729.

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THE CATACOMBS

Below the church lie the "Catacombs," Lima's first cemetery. This network of tunnels and chambers was excavated below the church before and during the 17th century. The walls were fortified with a mixture of calcium carbonate, sand, and egg white.

A circle of bones.

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In 1947 the Catacombs were re-excavated, having been sealed up for many years. Lighting was installed and the site was opened to the public in 1950. Not all tunnels were opened, however, and rumors exist that still undiscovered tunnels lead away to other strategic places around Lima.

A box of skulls.

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The Catacombs served as Lima's first cemetery. The use of such crypts as cemeteries was common in Lima's churches and the San Francisco catacombs were in use until the middle 1800's. It is estimated that the bones of some 70,000 people rest here. Benefactores of the church, dignitaries, and other well-to-do's were rewarded with a crypt situated below an important alter in the church above. Curiously, many of the bones were artistically arranged by an anthropologist in 1940.

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ART AND OTHER BEAUTY

San Leon

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Jesus and angels

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Works of art abound within the confines of San Francisco Church, making it as much an art museum as a church. A multitude of paintings by important artists such as Van Dyck, Jordaens, and Pieter Paul Rubens adorns its walls (photography of the paintings is prohibited). The walls of the sacristy are lined with reliefs of the Saints of the Franciscan Order, each covered in gold leaf ("pan de oro") and separated by corinthian-style columns.

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Apart from the standard works of art, one only needs to wander through the church to discover other beauties. Colors, patterns, textures, and rich light combine to create a feast for the eyes at every turn.

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PIGEONS IN THE PLAZA

Boy feeds the pigeons outside San Francisco Church

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Don't miss the entertainment in the plaza outside the church, provided mainly by the pigeons and the cute kids feeding them. While many disparagingly call them "sky rats", the countless pigeons flying around the steeples of San Francisco Church add an undeniable grace to the plaza. Take

Pigeon perches on lamp

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some time to look over some of the trinkets for sale and buy a snack. Before returning to the hectic streets of Lima, sit by the fountain and muse on the intriguing history and peaceful beauty of San Francisco Church.

[ end of report ] January, 2003

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