Franciscan facilities in the port of Valparaíso in the 17th century - 20th century

A forgotten story

Abstract

Investigation allowed us to reconstruct the history of the Franciscan facilities surrounding the La Matriz church, between the 17th century until its demolition in the mid-20th century, based on documentary historiographic records of various religious orders, related to the church, convent, and schools. that they housed.

Likewise, along with graphically reconstituting the planimetries, discovering the close relationship of the Franciscan complex with the urban space that preceded it called Plazuela San Francisco where "sacred" and "profane" activities such as processions, masses, plays, fights of rooster and bullfights. La Plazuela persisted as a public space even after the demolition of the Church and convent until the last decades of the 20th century. when it was transferred on loan to the P.D.I.The research determined that this urban space has traces that are part of the collective memory and constitutes a forgotten heritage necessary to recover not only for the residents and the city, but also feasible to incorporate the Historic Area of ​​Valparaíso recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage.