andre' salvador
PHOTOGRAPHY & WATERCOLORS
San Francisco Church and Monastery

This is a view of the church from the street that leads to the Winged Virgin Statue.
San Francisco Church and Monastery

A view looking left as I come out of the church door and a steep driveway.
San Francisco Church and Monastery

A closer view of the window above the church entrance.
San Francisco Church and Monastery

Taken from the plaza level below, the two doors above are the entrance to the museum.
San Francisco Church and Monastery

San Francisco, the most imposing of all Quito's architectural monuments, is at once a temple, a series of chapels, a museum and a convent. All this together takes up nearly two whole blocks, and rises up above a wide stone paved court, creating so noble an impression that Ernesto La Orden called it the "Escorial of the Andes". Shortly after the foundation of the city in 1536, Fray Jodoco Ricke began the construction of the temple and the convent, helped by architects and craftsmen like Fray Francisco Benítez, who was in charge of the work throughout the last quarter of the sixteenth century and finished it off in 1605. He also carved the benches and the figures of the choir. The entrance to the museum is through the two low doors at the right hand side of the upper driveway level.

Information taken from   http://www.in-quito.com/churches-quito-ecuador/quito-churches-san-francisco.htm
San Francisco Church and Monastery

This is the center facade of the building. The church part eas under restoration when we visited the place. Photographs are not permitted inside.

There is hardly any adornment in front, only the rope belt of St. Francis which surrounds the great window above the main entrance, the statues of St. Peter and St. Paul, on either side of the window, and the figure of Christ above, all carved in stone. On entering the church, one finds oneself under a low ceiling, decorated with small paintings, surrounded by ornamental groupings of cherubim arid flowers, all in the Italian style. The central nave is high, and the justly famous transept is supported by four main columns. There are chapels on either side, all with beautiful altarpieces. That of the main or high altar is covered in carvings, and curves around the presbytery.

Information taken from   http://www.in-quito.com/churches-quito-ecuador/quito-churches-san-francisco.htm
The entry passageway towards the entry court.
The front wall with the tower beyond.
The west end of the museum viewed from John F. Kennedy Avenue.
San Francisco Church and Monastery

This is a view of the church from the street that leads to the Winged Virgin Statue.
San Francisco Church and Monastery

This is a view of the church from the street that leads to the Winged Virgin Statue.
San Francisco Church and Monastery

This is a view of the church from the street that leads to the Winged Virgin Statue.
See photo in original gallery.

All photographs on this site © by Andre'Salvador