Museo de San Francisco

Walk now to the east of the city, towards the Barrio París-Londres. This is a neighborhood located at the Universidad de Chile subway station and it was built by the designers Ernesto Holzmann (father and son) using a stressed European style. There are several hostels along with its narrowed streets. In this neighborhood you can find one of the most important historical sites in Santiago since it is one of the few remaining examples of 16th century architecture. Hemmed in by busy roads, the Church of San Francisco, with the adjacent Franciscan Monastery, is a welcome island of serenity. The building was originally built as a church and convent in 1572 by Chile's conquistador, Pedro de Valdivia, although regular earthquakes ensured little of the original structure remains and in 1951 was declared by the government of Chile as a national monument. Today it houses a collection of historic and religious paintings and sculptures crafted out of silver and gold.
The church and monastery of San Francisco bear witness to Chile's artistic history during the colonial period. During the 16th and17th century one sees the emergence of features which are part of traditional Chilean architecture, such as the tiled roofs, the corridors and interior patios.During this period the citizens of Santiago found it necessary to use a system of forced labor in order to maintain their homes, public buildings or religious centers adequately.The church and the museum contain many works of colonial art. The collection is both aesthetically and historically the most important in the country.The collection is a synthesis of Andean and colonial art. The objects of art include paintings, sculpture, woodwork, carving, wrought iron, gold and silver items, embroidery and furniture.