Iglesia de San Francisco

The Iglesia de San Francisco in La Paz is notable for its intricately carved façade, one the finest examples of baroque-mestizo architecture in the Americas.

Construction on the original San Francisco Church began on this site in 1548, one year before the founding of La Paz. The church collapsed under the weight of snow in 1610 and was reconstructed in 1784.

Blending native and Catholic art, San Francisco's Baroque façade is richly decorated with indigenous symbols such as masked figures, snakes, dragons and tropical birds.

A similar blending of traditions can be seen on the Plaza de San Francisco in front of the church: a modern sculpture of rock pillars and stone faces honors Bolivia's three great cultures: the ancient people of Tiwanaku; the Incas; and modern Bolivians.

The interior is Neoclassical in style, featuring small cedar altars decorated with gold leaf designs. The roof can be climbed for fine views of the church rooftops and the city of La Paz.