Overview
This neo-classical style church originated in the hermitage built on the same site in 1576 and dedicated to Saint Anne, the mother of Our Lady Mary.
The church was erected a decade later; however, as nearly all the buildings in the city, it was destroyed by the earthquakes of 1647 and 1730.
Today’s church started to be built in 1806 and was inaugurated in 1854, though still unfinished.
The Church of St. Anne was declared a National Monument in 1970.
History
This church originated in a hermitage dedicated to Saint Anne, erected in 1576. The lands were donated by Rodrigo de Quiroga, a devotee and benefactor of the Mercedarian and Dominican orders.
The first construction, dating from 1586, was destroyed by the earthquake of 1647; the second collapsed with the earthquake of 1730; and the third was demolished at the turn of the 19th century due to its poor state of preservation.
The construction of today’s church began in 1806 and, though still unfinished, the temple was inaugurated in 1854. According to Eugenio Pérez Salas, before works were completed, a fountain designed by Agustín Caballero was installed to supply water to the local people.
Authorship of the construction is still debated, i.e. whether the plans were made by the military engineer Agustín Caballero or by the architect and disciple of Toesca, Juan José de Goycolea.
Between 1926 and 1937, the church was substantially remodeled: the old tower was replaced by the current one made up of three bodies, superimposed from larger to smaller and rising above the eight large columns of the frontispiece.
Architecture
The church is in neo-classical style. Its façade and towers feature Doric pilasters and columns, although certain baroque effects are present.
The main entrance has three doors, each with a rectangular opening above it, while the tower is made up of three bodies.
Inside, the Church of Saint Anne has a Latin cruciform floor plan, while the treatment of the interior walls is similar to that of the façade, with columns and pilasters.
Catedral, 1549, Santiago.