Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco

The Church and Convent of San Francisco is besides the Cathedral of Lima probably the most significant religious complex in Lima. The church with the impressive main portal, the affiliated convent and the two churches of 'El Milagro' and 'La Soledad' form together the most successful and impressive monument of Colonial architecture in whole Latin America. If you like to get a feeling about how the religious life was during Spanish colonial times, here you get the right impression. Very recommendable is a guided tour through the monastery. The tour takes about one hour and is in Spanish or English.

Inside you will be amazed by the beautiful preserved wooden stairs, the outstanding library with over 25,000 volumes, the "Zurbarán - Hall", small chapels, distinctive religious paintings, small patios of typical Spanish style decorated with lovely tiles from Seville. Definitely the absolute highlight of the tour is the descent into the convents catacombs that served until 1808 as a burial ground. An estimated 30,000 deceased are buried here. Quite extraordinary: the monks arranged the remains according to bone types. Absolutely worth seeing!

Read more... (Overview of Historical Churches & Convents in Lima)