La Paz, Bolivia - October 23, 2015: San Francisco Church in the historic city centre.; Shutterstock ID 1650888649; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi 1650888649

Shutterstock / Oliver Foerstner

Iglesia de San Francisco

La Paz

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The hewed stone basilica of San Francisco was founded in 1548 by Fray Francisco de los Ángeles. The original structure collapsed under heavy snowfall around 1610, but it was rebuilt between 1743 and 1772. The second building is made of stone quarried at nearby Viacha. The facade is decorated with carvings of natural themes such as chirimoyas (custard apples), pine cones and tropical birds.

The mass of rock pillars and stone faces in the upper portion of Plaza San Francisco is intended to represent Bolivia’s three great cultures – Tiwanaku, Inca and modern (Aymará).

The cloisters and garden of Museo San Francisco, adjacent to the basilica, beautifully revive the history and art of the city’s landmark. There are heavenly religious paintings, historical artifacts, an interesting anteroom and a God-like, if quirky, view from the roof.

As one of the city’s focal points, the plaza is often the staging ground for rallies and protests.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • View on colonial buildings by jaen street in La Paz- Bolivia

    Calle Jaén Museums

    0.33 MILES

    La Paz’s best-preserved colonial street is home to four small museums. They are all clustered together and can generally be bundled into one visit. Buy…

  • Mercado de las Brujas

    Mercado de las Brujas

    0.08 MILES

    The city’s most unusual market lies along Calles Jiménez and Linares between Sagárnaga and Av Mariscal Santa Cruz, amid lively tourist artesanías (stores…

  • La Paz, La Paz, Bolivia, South America

    Museo Nacional del Arte

    0.2 MILES

    This colonial building was constructed in 1775 of pink sandstone and has been restored to its original grandeur, in mestizo (mixed) baroque and Andino…

  • An Aguayo is a rectangular piece of cloth used in traditional communities in the Andes of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. The aguayo is most associated with Quechua and Aymara culture but is not exclusive to them. Aguayos typically features colorful stripes intercalated with rhombuses and other figures with symbolic values.

    Museo de Textiles Andinos Bolivianos

    1.15 MILES

    Fans of Bolivia’s lovely traditional weaving consider this small textile museum a must-see. Examples of the country’s finest traditional textiles …

  • La Paz, La Paz, Bolivia, South America

    Museo de Etnografía y Folklore

    0.2 MILES

    Anthropology buffs should check out this museum, one of the city's best. The building, itself a real treasure, was constructed in 1720 and was once the…

  • Muela del Diablo

    Muela del Diablo

    6.99 MILES

    The prominent rock outcrop known as the Devil’s Molar (3825m) is actually an extinct volcanic plug that rises between the Río Choqueyapu and the suburban…

  • Cerro Chacaltaya

    Cerro Chacaltaya

    9.83 MILES

    The 5395m-high Cerro Chacaltaya peak atop a former glacier is a popular day trip. The glacier diminished over several decades and, tragically, had melted…

  • Catedral Metropolitana

    Catedral Metropolitana

    0.22 MILES

    Although it’s a relatively recent addition to La Paz’s religious structures, the 1835 cathedral is impressive – mostly because it is built on a steep…

View more attractions

Nearby La Paz attractions

1. Museo San Francisco

The cloisters and garden of the Museo San Francisco, adjacent to the basilica, beautifully revive the history and art of the city’s landmark. There are…

2. Mercado de las Brujas

0.08 MILES

The city’s most unusual market lies along Calles Jiménez and Linares between Sagárnaga and Av Mariscal Santa Cruz, amid lively tourist artesanías (stores…

3. Museo de la Coca

0.12 MILES

Chew on some facts inside the small, slightly tired Coca Museum, which explores the sacred leaf’s role in traditional societies, its use by the soft-drink…

4. Museo de Etnografía y Folklore

0.2 MILES

Anthropology buffs should check out this museum, one of the city's best. The building, itself a real treasure, was constructed in 1720 and was once the…

5. Museo Nacional del Arte

0.2 MILES

This colonial building was constructed in 1775 of pink sandstone and has been restored to its original grandeur, in mestizo (mixed) baroque and Andino…

6. Museo Tambo Quirquincho

0.2 MILES

This intriguing museum, a former tambo (wayside market and inn), houses 10 rooms of temporary art exhibitions that change monthly. Past exhibitions have…

7. Catedral Metropolitana

0.22 MILES

Although it’s a relatively recent addition to La Paz’s religious structures, the 1835 cathedral is impressive – mostly because it is built on a steep…

8. Mercado Negro

0.24 MILES

Tight travelers can grab a bargain at the Mercado Negro, a clogged maze of makeshift stalls that sprawls over several blocks to the west of Isaac Tamayo…

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