Basilica of San Francisco, La Paz

산프란시스코 성당 (라파스)

The Basilica of San Francisco is a Catholic church in the centre of La Paz, Bolivia. It faces Plaza San Francisco and honours Saint Francis of Assisi. Its stone front is famous for carvings that mix European Baroque shapes with Andean designs, a style often called Andean Baroque.

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At a glance

Country: Bolivia
Location: La Paz, Bolivia
Built: 1772
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Basilica of San Francisco, La Paz?

Basilica of San Francisco, La Paz is in La Paz, Bolivia.

When was Basilica of San Francisco, La Paz built?

Basilica of San Francisco, La Paz was built in 1772.

La Paz's landmark church, whose stone facade blends Baroque forms with Andean indigenous motifs.

The present church was begun in the 1740s, and its carved facade was finished in 1790. A single tower was added much later, starting in 1885. It was declared a minor basilica in 1948, which is a title the Catholic Church gives to important churches. Today part of the old convent next door is a museum and cultural centre, so visitors can explore both the church and the history around it.

A long building story

A convent of Saint Francis was founded beside the Choqueyapu River in 1548, and the first church was started in 1549. Between 1608 and 1612 that church collapsed under a very heavy snowfall. Work on the present church began in 1743 and 1744. The dome and roof were finished in 1753, the church was consecrated in 1758, and the carved front was completed in 1790. The tower followed in the late 1800s.

Church and museum

Between 1950 and 1960 part of the convent was torn down, but a lot remained. Since 1965 the church has housed a museum, now known as the San Francisco Cultural Centre. The plaza in front is a lively meeting place in the middle of the city. Standing there, you can see how the church's carved stone front shows local Andean touches that mixed with Spanish church art.