The intricately stone-carved facade of the San Francisco church is one the finest examples of baroque-mestizo architecture in the Americas. Look closely and you’ll see a wealth of indigenous symbols — from masked figures to snakes, dragons, and tropical birds.
The cornerstone for the original San Francisco church was placed in this spot in 1548, 1 year before the founding of La Paz. The church standing here today is not the original; it was completed in 1784. Once inside, the baroque influence seems to disappear. The small cedar altars with gold-leaf designs are much more typical of the neoclassical era.