The oldest functioning church in the Americas.
According to many sources, San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico is believed to be the oldest church in America.
Since it was first built around 1610, the church has been the site of a variety of religious rites, ceremonies, celebrations and other events.
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San Miguel Chapel is widely considered to be the oldest Catholic church in the United States. (Universal Image Group via Getty Images, PHAS/Universal Image Group via Getty Images)
Read on to find out more about this historic church.
- What is San Miguel Chapel famous for?
- What happened to San Miguel Chapel?
- Is San Miguel Chapel still open today?
1. What is San Miguel Chapel famous for?
San Miguel Chapel is known as the oldest church in the Americas.
The church is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
According to the church’s website, the church was built “under the guidance of Franciscan friars for a small congregation of soldiers, workers and indigenous people living in the Anarco area.”
The Chapel of San Miguel has undergone extensive renovation works since it was first built. (Sepia Times/Universal Image Group via Getty Images)
The first historical records of the church date back to 1628.
However, according to the San Miguel Chapel website, the church is older than that, with oral history indicating the church was built around 1610, around the same time as the founding of Santa Fe, and many believe the church is even older than that.
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The chapel was dedicated to the Archangel Michael.
A statue of him now stands on the site of the former church, according to U.S. News & World Report.
2. What happened to San Miguel Chapel?
The Chapel of San Miguel has been reconstructed over the years.
According to the church’s website, documents kept by the church show that the chapel suffered extensive damage, including the roof being burned, during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, also known as the Papal Revolt.
Visitors can tour the 780-pound San Jose Bell that once sat in the bell tower.
The San Miguel Chapel was rebuilt in 1710. Further restoration was carried out in 1798 with funding from the mayor of Santa Fe, according to the church’s website.
The church needed many repairs and was nearly demolished, so in 1887 the community came together to rebuild it.
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Although the reconstruction of the San Miguel Chapel has altered the structure since it was originally built, the church is still full of history.
For example, parts of the original walls are still intact.
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Plus, you can see the 780-pound San Jose Bell that once sat in the bell tower.
Sadly, the tower was destroyed in a storm in 1872, but the bell is still on display within the chapel.
3. Is San Miguel Chapel still open today?
The San Miguel Chapel remains open today.
The San Miguel Chapel is full of history and unique architecture and is still open. (Buddy Mays/Getty Images)
The church has regularly hosted religious ceremonies for hundreds of years and has also been used for a variety of events, including concerts, celebrations and ceremonies.
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Visitors are welcome to tour the grounds or attend one of the many events hosted at the church.
You can check the events calendar online to see if there are any events you can attend during your visit.
