The temple of
San Francisco of Quito is the religious construction of greater extension in
the region. There 4 thousand objects are lodged, between sculptures, linen
cloths and furniture. The most beautiful convent of America. With 3.5 hectares,
San Francisco is an impressive structure. From 1983 the International has been
taken part by the Spanish Agency of Cooperation and the Institute of Cultural
Patrimony. In 1996 a sector of the temple for the San Francisco museum adapted.
And today in this place 250 works are exhibited, of authors like Miguel of
Santiago, Caspicara and Legarda. The museum Fray Pedro Gocial with hundreds of
colonial pieces was inaugurated. There are three allegories that have with
magic to San Francisco, temple founded by Fray Jodoco Ricke on 1535.
One says that
there, in pre-Columbian times, a center of commercial interchange between the
dominions worked. Also one talks about, from the Colony, that Felipe II of
Spain showed itself to the windows of the Dump to see the cupolas of the Quito
temple and to comment the face that him was being the work. And, finally,
towards 1600 the mythical Cantuña is the center of a architectonic-demonic feat
when attributing him to it, popularly, the construction of the vestibule.
The good
thing is that until now it lacks a stone, in one of the bajantes of water of
the perrons: for that reason its soul not yet has been caught by Satan. But the
legend is single one of their wealth. The same construction represents a feat,
because the plant of the convent must overcome the pronounced inclination of
the skirts of the Pichincha. And already in their interior, the gold of the
incario and the talent of craftsmen of the Quito School register the stamp that
turns to the place unique.. Near 4 thousand works, between sculptures, linen
cloths, painting mural, adorned with caissons and furniture, are distributed by
an area of 3.5 hectares, with a central temple, two main chapels, three
cloisters, an abbey, an orchard and a nostalgic brewery.
From 1983,
the Spanish Agency of Cooperation the International and the Institute of
Cultural Patrimony work in the integral recovery of the complex. At the moment
a 50 percent with a considered cost of USD 1 200 000 has advanced. At the
moment 20 Ecuadorian technicians make workings of restoration and conservation.
Thus, thousand objects of art have recovered. 250 of them are exhibited from
1996 in two galleries that adapted for the Museum of San Francisco.
The route
begins by the choir of the church, a precious cockpit with capacity for 61
friars, crossed by two organs German and decorated by an exquisite one adorned
with caissons of style to mudéjar, compound of 4,600 wood pieces, in whose
center there is a peculiar star of eight ends.
From this
site it is descended to the rooms of exhibition, where works of Miguel of
Santiago (like emblematic "the Immaculate Eucaristía"), Diego de
Robles are appraised, the Father Carlos, Manuel Chili "Caspicara",
Bernardine of Legarda, Gregorio de Vásquez, Mateo Mejia, engravings German of
century XVIII and a map of South America painted in 1775. The end of the visit
is towards the North end of the convent, in the old brewery created by the
friars in 1566. In his room of welcome there is a tavern and in the later one
it is the gallery and the instruments with which the drink was prepared.
