El aporte de los misioneros franciscanos italianos a la tipología arquitectónica de la torre-fachada en las iglesias de Chiloé

Research identifies the significant contribution of Italian Franciscan missionaries to the development of the distinctive 'torre-fachada' (tower-façade) typology in Chiloé's wooden churches, a key feature of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The study challenges previous hypotheses by attributing this architectural element's emergence to the second half of the 19th century, linked to Franciscan presence rather than earlier Jesuit missions or Central European origins. Analyzing historical records and architectural evolution, the authors argue that the tower-façade—a combination of a porch, gable, and bell tower—evolved as a symbolic and functional response to local religious practices and environmental conditions in southern Chile.

Berg Costa, L., & Cherubini Zanetel, G. P. (2014). El aporte de los misioneros franciscanos italianos a la tipología arquitectónica de la torre-fachada en las iglesias de Chiloé. Aus, (16), 4–9. https://doi.org/10.4206/aus.2014.n16-02