The Iglesia de San Francisco was established in 1538 soon after the founding of the city, but was turned over to the military in 1809. The soldiers weren’t big on maintenance and it fell into disrepair before eventually being reconsecrated in 1925. Its most interesting features are its mudéjar (Moorish-style) paneled ceiling and the Campana de la Libertad, Bolivia’s Liberty Bell, which called patriots to revolution in 1825.
Iglesia de San Francisco
Sucre
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.14 MILES
For a dose of Bolivian history, it’s hard to beat this museum where the Bolivian declaration of independence was signed on August 6, 1825. It has been…
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24.3 MILES
Despite the presence of other camera-wielding gringos and the ubiquity of travel agencies in Sucre selling 'tours,' Tarabuco's Sunday market is well worth…
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0.64 MILES
This superb museum of indigenous arts is a must for anyone interested in the indigenous groups of the Sucre area, focusing particularly on the woven…
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Museo Nacional de Etnografía y Folklore
0.09 MILES
Known locally as MUSEF and housed in the impressive former Banco Nacional building, this museum brings together a series of fascinating temporary…
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3.07 MILES
It seems that 65 million years ago the site of Sucre’s Fabrica Nacional de Cemento SA (Fancesa) cement quarry, 5km north of the center, was the place to…
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0.22 MILES
Next door to Sucre's cathedral, this museum holds one of Bolivia’s best collections of religious relics. There are four sections, ritually unlocked as…
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0.7 MILES
Overlooking the city from the top of Calle Polanco, La Recoleta was established by the Franciscan Order in 1601. It has served not only as a convent and…
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Templo Nuestra Señora de la Merced
0.36 MILES
After several years of restoration work (the completion date was still unknown at the time of research), this church's interior is still mostly bare, but…
Nearby Sucre attractions
1. Museo Nacional de Etnografía y Folklore
0.09 MILES
Known locally as MUSEF and housed in the impressive former Banco Nacional building, this museum brings together a series of fascinating temporary…
0.1 MILES
Wondering why millions labored for centuries under terrible conditions, and still do, including in mines around nearby Potosí? Check out the highly…
0.12 MILES
This early-17th-century church has beautiful Moorish features inside. Mass is Monday to Saturday at 8am and 7:15pm; on Sundays there's an additional Mass…
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The Iglesia de Santa Mónica was begun in 1574 and was originally intended to serve as a monastery for the Ermitañas de San Agustín. However, the order ran…
0.14 MILES
For a dose of Bolivian history, it’s hard to beat this museum where the Bolivian declaration of independence was signed on August 6, 1825. It has been…
0.18 MILES
For the best view in town, inquire at the national police office inside the wedding-cake-like Prefectura de Chuquisaca, next to the cathedral. If they're…
0.19 MILES
Run by the university, this museum is an old aristocrat’s house stocked with a hodgepodge collection of gaudy 19th-century decor. Think gilded gold…
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Sucre’s cathedral dates from the middle of the 16th century and is a harmonious blend of Renaissance architecture with later baroque additions. It’s a…