Iglesia de la Matriz

The Iglesia de La Matriz is a church in the city of Valparaíso, Chile. Located in the heart of the port district of the city, surrounded by cobblestone streets and houses it has a historical importance in the city and was declared a National Monument of Chile in 1971.

In 1559, the Bishop of Santiago, Rodrigo Marmolejo, founded the first temple in Valparaiso, a small chapel that was really little more than a hut initially. From this point as the settlement grew a series of successive religious congregations: Augustinian (1627), Franciscan (1664), Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy (1715), Sagrados Corazones (1834) and Jesuits (1850) used the church. Wealthy local families developed the town and church giving it the distinctive architectural feel it has today.