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All El Salvador Iglesia El Rosario
AO Edited

Iglesia El Rosario

Padre Delgado, a leader in the fight for Salvadoran independence, is buried in this stunning Brutalist cathedral.

San Salvador, El Salvador

Added By
robertkylemolina
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Iglesia El Rosario   May Ramirez / CC BY-SA 3.0
Iglesia El Rosario   May Ramirez / CC BY-SA 3.0
  Jose Quintanilla / CC BY-SA 3.0
  JR Wetmore / Atlas Obscura User
The church’s “Stairway to Heaven” is a modern stained glass masterpiece.   robertkylemolina / Atlas Obscura User
The Brutalist exterior conceals a rainbow of light.   BelemM
Iglesia El Rosario is the final resting place of a powerful figure in the fight for Salvadoran independence.   robertkylemolina / Atlas Obscura User
Salvadoran artist Rubén Martínez is responsible for the innovative desgin.   robertkylemolina / Atlas Obscura User
  JR Wetmore / Atlas Obscura User
  JR Wetmore / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Completed in 1971, Iglesia El Rosario is considered one of the finest examples of modern architecture in El Salvador. Sculptor Rubén Martínez created the plans for this radically avant-garde cathedral in just six days. The structure, which abandons many of the traditional hallmarks of a basilica, was both so important and controversial in its time that Pope John XXIII himself came from Rome to oversee part of the construction.

The Brutalist concrete facade conceals a dazzling rainbow of stained glass inside. Dubbed the "Stairway to Heaven," the tiered, arched ceiling lined with glass panels bathes the altar and pews in brilliantly-hued light. Virtually every design element is laden with precise symbolic meaning.

In addition to its architectural significance, Iglesia El Rosario has immense cultural importance for the Salvadoran people. José Matías Delgado y de León, better known as Padre Delgado, is buried in this sacred space. Known as El Padre de la Patria Salvadoreña (Father of the Salvadoran Fatherland), this priest and politician was a key figure in El Salvador's fight for independence. 

Related Tags

Stained Glass Windows Color Architecture Cathedral Burial Places Revolution Churches

Know Before You Go

Entrance to the church requires a modest donation. Although the church is open all day, it's most striking during the early morning and evening hours when the sunlight streams directly through the stained glass. Visitors are asked to be respectful as this is an active place of worship.

Community Contributors

Added By

robertkylemolina

Edited By

Osage, Michelle Cassidy, JR Wetmore

  • Osage
  • Michelle Cassidy
  • JR Wetmore

Published

October 25, 2024

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  • https://www.lonelyplanet.com/el-salvador/san-salvador/attractions/iglesia-el-rosario/a/poi-sig/431734/358389
Iglesia El Rosario
6a Avenida Sur & 4
San Salvador
El Salvador
13.696979, -89.189051
Get Directions

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miles away

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