Location Chile Criteria ii, iii UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription 2000 | Type Cultural Reference 971-001 | |
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UNESCO region Latin America and Caribbean Address Quinchao, Los Lagos Region, Chile Similar Church of Quinchao, Churches of Chiloé, Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, Church of San Francisco, Church of Chonchi | ||
The Church of Santa María de Loreto de Achao (Spanish: Iglesia de Santa María de Loreto de Achao) is a Roman Catholic church located in Quinchao Island's largest town, Achao. Often referred to as «Church of Achao» —Spanish: Iglesia de Achao—, is within the Diocese of Ancud, and was built around 1740 when Chiloé Archipelago was still a part of the Spanish Crown possessions.
The Achao church is one of the oldest traditional Chiloé churches built in the 18th and 19th centuries, and survives almost intact from de Jesuit mission era. It belongs to a group of 16 iconic wooden churches that were declared as a World Heritage site under «Churches of Chiloé»'s denomination because of their unique form of wooden architecture known as the «Chilota School of Religious Architecture on Wood».