The Church of San Francisco de Asís

This Catholic church is dedicated to ecumenical worship and was initially the church of a Franciscan monastery that has since disappeared. It has an important collection of religious sculptures, in terms of artistic, historical and devotional value. Among its finest pieces is an Ecuadorian figure of El Señor de las Tribulaciones made of corn paste. The figure has been keenly worshipped in the city since 1893, when it was taken out on a procession during an outbreak of cholera and the disease miraculously went away. The central Andalusian style altarpiece dates from the 18th century and houses figures of San Francisco de Asís, the Inmaculada Concepción and Sant Domingo. The temple is an example of Baroque architecture from the 17th and 18th century, with a Neo-Corinthian portico and three carved stone columns. Beside it is the Chapel of the Venerable Third Order.