Chiloé and its wooden temples: living testimonies of a unique tradition
The famous Churches of Chiloé are not only one of the main attractions of the region, but also have an important historical and cultural value. They are representative of an architectural tradition begun by Jesuit itinerant preachers in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The history of the churches begins with the evangelizing missions of the Spanish Jesuits, who built small chapels, precursors of the current and well-known churches of the archipelago. When the evangelizing mission arrived, the Chiloé archipelago was inhabited by communities of chonos and huilliches, who were characterized by having extensive use of wood, mainly to build boats.
The arrival of Jesuits from countries such as Bavaria, Transylvania or Hungary, due to the lack of Spanish priests for the Company's Circular Mission, prompted the construction of more lasting churches than their predecessors.
The foreign priests contributed the designs, inspired by the churches of their countries that, mixed with the materials and techniques of the Chilote carpenters, gave rise to the fantastic constructions that are still standing today.
Constructed entirely of wood, the churches of the Chiloé archipelago constitute a unique example of religious architecture in Latin America, the result of religious syncretism between European and American cultures.
Interior of one of the characteristic wooden churches of Chiloé.
This way of building religious temples lasted even after the expulsion of the Jesuits in the second half of the 18th century, creating an architectural tradition maintained over three centuries called the Chilota School of Religious Architecture in Wood.
This tradition evolved from a very ornate initial style to another, in the mid-nineteenth century, much more sober, with great influence from European baroque and neoclassical styles. Of the nearly 60 churches that are part of this school, 16 of them were declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 2000.
The temples, built in native wood, have some common details, such as their location near the coast, the mountainous shelter on their north side or their south-facing porticoes. Other characteristic elements are its symmetrical façade and tower. The facade is made up of an entrance portico, arches and pediment. The tower has a great symbolic feature since it has served as an orientation element for navigators.
The vaults of most of the churches are barrel-vaulted and in some, ribbed. Inside, the basilica floor plan and three naves are repeated. In its exterior part, the cladding with larch tiles and tongue-and-groove boards predominates.
There is a route that runs through the churches, which are distributed between the main island and the small islands that make up the archipelago. Access to the latter is by ferry and your visit involves entering the beautiful landscapes of small islands with wooden buildings in an evergreen natural environment thanks to the high rainfall in the region.
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