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The peaceful city of La Serena has a few nice colonial churches to visit. Some of them date back to the 16th century. All of them are located within walking distance of Plaza de Armas in the city center.
Church of Santo Domingo
About a half block to the west of Plaza de Armas is the Church of Santo Domingo (Iglesia de Santo Domingo). My favorite feature is the bell tower. The church was built in the late 17th century.
Church of La Merced
A block east of the plaza is the Church of La Merced (Iglesia de La Merced). The original church was burned down in 1680 by English pirate Bartholomew Sharp and a new one was built in the early 1700s.
Church of San Agustín
Two blocks east of there at the end of Calle Arturo Prat is the Church of San Agustín (Iglesia de San Agustín). It was built in 1672.
Church of San Francisco
Finally, to the southwest of Plaza de Armas in La Serena is the Church of San Francisco (Iglesia de San Francisco), which was built between 1585 and 1627.
