Achao

Santa Maria de Loreto at Achao is generally dated to the 1740s and is the oldest of the Chiloe churches still standing - built by Jesuit missionaries and local carpenters entirely of native timber, with the frame pegged and jointed and no metal fastenings anywhere in the original structure, a technique that comes straight from boatbuilding. Inside, the barrel vault is painted blue with stars and the altar is baroque work in wood. It is one of the sixteen inscribed by UNESCO in 2000. The town around it is small, on the sheltered inner side of Quinchao island, and reached by the ferry from Dalcahue.

Background

Achao, founded in 1753, is the capital of Quinchao commune and stands on level ground with a shallow sandy beach, hills behind and the islands of Llingua and Linlín across the water. As the main town off the large island of Chiloé, it draws people from the smaller islands for school and trade. The Alto de la Paloma lookout is among the viewpoints above town. Its houses are known for the wide range of larch shingles on their roofs. Work on the church began around 1740, and Franciscan missionaries from the Santa Rosa de Ocopa school in Peru finished it in 1770. Each summer the town hosts the Encuentro de las Islas del Archipiélago, a festival of Chiloé folklore.

Source: Wikipedia, "Achao"

What to look for

• The oldest Chiloe church - dated to the 1740s.
• No metal in the original frame - pegged and jointed like a hull.
• A blue vault with stars - painted inside over a wooden baroque altar.
• Inscribed by UNESCO in 2000 - one of the sixteen.

When to go

December to March. Half a day including the ferry.

Good to know

Opening depends on the parish and can be limited outside summer. The ferry adds time and runs on its own schedule. The town is small with few services. Rain is frequent.

Nearby

Dalcahue is across the channel; Curaco de Velez is on the same island.

Key facts