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San Francisco Quito's Convent, Church and Square - Sunday, March 30, 2008
San Francisco Quito's Convent, Church and SquareThe construction of this religious ensemble (Monastery, atrium, six principal cloisters and others secondary, three temples and the square) was a long one. People used a part of the treasure of Atahualpa to build this ensemble, but also with money send by the King of Spain, King Carlos V. Some of the most important constructors were: Fray Jodoco Rique (Franciscan of Flamenco), Jorge de la Cruz Mitiga (indian), who built the first part of the ensemble.
Fray Francisco Benítez continued its construction, specially the mudejar coffered ceiling, the mayor altar and the chor chairs., the sacristy, the bibliotec and the rooms. Fray Antonio Rodríguez finished the construction. This Quito's church belongs to the most important and biggest religious ensemble of the continent. It is one of the beauties in South America. It has an extension of three hectares. and a half, and presides the most characteristic and historical squares of the Quito..
The San Francisco Quito's Church has three naves, a mannerist front door, made with stone, its tow towers. Inside, we find one of the most important religious art collections in America, with paintings and sculptures of a high religious and artistic value. An example is the famous Virgen de Legarda, made by Bernardo de Legarda in the XVIII century.
Capilla de Cantuña
This is a chapel dedicated to Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. It has the name of the most important helper in the construction: the Indian Cantuña, Gualca’s son, man of Rumiñahui, who helped to bury the treasure of Atahualpa, and to make fire in the Quito's before the Spanish arrived. As he knew where the treasure was, part f it was destinated for the construction of the church and its decoration.
The chapel is at a side of the church of San Francisco. We can find there different art pieces such as El Calvario, made by Bernardo de Legarda, or San Pedro de Alcántara, atribuited to Father Carlos.
La Merced
1700 begun the definitive construction of this Quito's church and the monastery from the mercedar community. Bernardo de Legarda made the mayor altar. From the beginning, the construction followed the model of the Jesuit church La Compania, but it never couldn’t compete with La Compania because of economic reasons. At that time, the image of the Virgen gave by the Carlos V was converted in charitable and in order to have the necessary money to construct the church. The Virgen was, from the beginning, the patron for the Ecuadorian army, and years later, it was already known as the patron of the earthquakes.
This Quito's church conserves the entrance from stone, which was made in 1769. The building has only one tower with its historical bell, and its domes are covered with green pillow blocks. It has three naves, which form the Latin cross on the floor. It also has a beautiful pulpit and its antique organ, which was used by Pedro Gosseal to teach indian people music. The most attractive piece in this Quito's church is the stone fountain, in which Neptuno’s figure is prominent. There are also important paintings and sculptures which belonged to the colonialists’ time, an English watch with black glass made in 1817 and installed in 1820 in the highest part of the dome. So was also with the Virgen of La Merced, made in polychrome stone, unique in its gender.
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- Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 5:43 PM