Popularly known as el San Francisco, San Francisco Church is a colonial styled Roman Catholic complex in the historic city center of Quito. This 16th century church is home to massive Spanish colonial art collection and several ancient buildings. The church grounds are filled with several interesting things for visitors who love art, architecture, and history. There is a museum in the church convent, displaying art from the 16th & 17th centuries. This historic site is situated in 3 hectares of land and is home to 3 churches, 13 cloisters, a huge courtyard, an atrium, and a convent.
Ceilings of this well known baroque church are adorned with amazing Moorish design. Visitors can notice the glorious images of the sun at the entryway which were used to attract native people to the Catholic Church. The interior of the church is ornamented with the images of angels in the shape of the sun. The wall and columns are decorated with Moorish designs and covered in gold leafing. The Main Altar is home to three famous sculptures: El Bautismo de Jesús (The Baptism of Jesus), Jesús de Gran Poder (Almighty Jesus), and La Virgen de Quito (The Virgin of Quito). The Main Altar also houses several paintings and carvings of both native and European artisans of the 16th century.
Visitors can enter the choir through the monastery and museum. Photography is only permitted in the choir. The art museum is situated in the convent which displays religious paintings, sculptures, and 16th century furniture. Visitors have to pay an entrance fee to visit the museum. Guided tours in English or Spanish are included with the museum entrance fee. Once entering the site, visitors can enjoy walking along the aisleways and sit on the benches for a while to relax and feel the amazing ambiance of the oldest church in Quito.
From the city center:
San Francisco Church is accessible by taxi in 3mins (2.2 kilometers) at a cost ranging from $2 to $3. You can reach the church by foot, an approximate 21minutes walk from the city center.
From the Airport:
You can reach San Francisco Church in Quito by taxi in 41 mins (43.7 kilometers). Cost ranges from $26 to $31. Trolleybus services are available to Plaza Chinca at the rate of $4 per person and it will take 95 minutes to reach the destination. From Plaza Chinca there is a 7 minutes (595 meters) walk to the church.
Sunday : 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Monday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Thursday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(Last entry by 4:30 p.m.)
Waiting Time
No
Entrance Fee
Church: Free
Museum: $3 for Adult & $1 for Children
Time you can spend
1 to 2 hours
Weather
Be the first one to start a thread.
Important Site 