Inside the Church of Santa Maria de Loreto at Achao.

© ajlber/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Iglesia Santa María de Loreto

Top choice in Chiloé


Achao's 18th-century Jesuit church, on the south side of the Plaza de Armas, is Chiloé's oldest (1740). Crowned by a 25m tower, the World Heritage site has alerce shingles; the whole structure is held together by wooden pegs rather than nails. The church has been slowly restored, with new wood juxtaposing the old, but its restoration has remained faithful to the original design.

Don't miss the stunning interior – it's like no church you have ever seen.


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