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Chiu Chiu is a small town founded by Spaniards, with a clean layout, a neat restored square and the most beautiful church in the region built shortly before 1675. Its patronal feast is that of San Francisco and is celebrated on October 4.



The central access is constituted by a deep vault, which opens throughout the thickness of a massive and enormous rectangular volume that forms the front of the temple.



The thick walls are made of adobe and are 1.2 meters thick. The roof is made of an armor assembled of chañar, carob and cactus, for which nails were not used but leather ties; a thick covering of mud and straw was placed over it.



The church is located in a walled enclosure within which patios are generated around the church that were, in part, used as a cemetery.









Chiu Chiu is located about 30 km from Calama, at an altitude of 2,525 m. In San Pedro de Atacama.



San Pedro de Atacama is located 1,670 kilometers north of Santiago, the capital of Chile. To get to San Pedro you have to go to Calama, the closest city, linked to San Pedro by an excellent paved road with a beautiful desert landscape.



By bus:

The trip takes 20 hours from Santiago. There is a good level of service and comfort in buses with semi-bed seats.



You can check the value of the tickets and departure times in the following bus lines that offer the route in semi-bed and standard buses: Tur Bus, Pullman Bus, Géminis.



By plane:

It is the fastest way to access Calama and then to San Pedro de Atacama (98 kms.).



From Santiago there are 5 daily frequencies on weekdays and 3 daily frequencies on weekends through Lan Chile.



By car:

For those who venture to arrive by car from Santiago, you should take Route 5 - Panamericana Norte.



It is recommended to make the trip in 2 sections, stopping at Caldera (870 km) or Bahía Inglesa and then continuing the next day direct to Calama (800 km more), where you can stock up on everything you need to take to San Pedro.













the one that is part of our national heritage.

The doors are cedar lined with cactus. Due to its volume, the church is one of the most beautiful in Chile, revealing a massive stylistic characteristic of the Atacama culture.

Inside it preserves interesting pieces of imagery.

Various tombs surround the church of San Francisco de Chiu Chiu.

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