Church of La Matriz in Valparaiso. Valparaiso - CHILE

Direccion: Sto Domingo 71, Valparaiso
Phone: +56 32 221 4876

The first chapel was built in Valparaiso was, as Benjamin Vicuña Mackenna, one built in 1559 by Rodrigo Gonzalez Marmolejo on the site of the Matrix. It was sacked by Drake in 1578 and burned by Spilbergen in 1615. However Vicente Martin y Manero said that in 1585 this church no longer existed and that was sacked by Spilbergen other. As no consensus was that it was poor, straw and mud.

Soon after, a second church was built, simple but more elaborate than the previous one was destroyed by an earthquake in 1730.

The third church began building the priest Jos? Pozo y Silva and was completed in 1749. He had 2 towers, thick walls of adobe, and inside, a ship and other units at the sides. The earthquake of 1751 destroyed one of the towers, but with some modifications, survived more than 87 years. The earthquake of 1822 led to further damage and the church remained in ruins until 1837 became the priest Jose Antonio Riob? who demolished. During all this time continued to be used. Even Jose Maria Mastai Ferretti, the future Pope Pius IX, held a mass there in 1824.

With the sale of materials from demolition and collections, the present church was built between 1837 and 1842. During the bombing of 1866, three bombs fell on the Matrix, but without causing major damage. In 1887, the temple was in a dilapidated state, as their pastor Vincent Martin and decisively reshaping it, demolishing part of the tower and the interior redecorated.
A curious fact was the Savior of the World designation as patron of The Matrix. Historically, Our Lady of Puerto course was popularly revered as head of the temple and the city, but there was a decree that confirmed as such, and its image had disappeared years ago. So in 1868 he decided to call an election he won the Savior of the world, with 19,946 votes.

In 1900, Valparaiso was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, whose statue crowned for long the front of the church.
In 1971, after being named a national monument, the church begins to be restored. The earthquakes of 1971 and 1985 produced some damage but is repaired, so today is in good condition.

His environment was declared a Typical Zone in 1971