Beneath the bustling streets of Buenos Aires lies a story etched in stone and faith at Iglesia San Roque. This chapel shares its atrium with the grand Basílica de San Francisco. Together with the neighboring Plazoleta de San Francisco, they create a peaceful break in the city’s busy landscape.
Iglesia San Roque’s history stretches back to the early 17th century. The original chapel served its purpose until 1751. Then, architect Antonio Masella was commissioned to rebuild it. Masella was born in Turin in 1700 and passed away in Buenos Aires in 1774. His design features a single nave. The nave is elongated and covered by a barrel vault and a hemispherical cupola.
The cupola rests on pendentives, architectural elements shaped like shells. These elements resolve the transition to the pillars below. Lunettes modulate the vault and correspond with the lateral windows. In 1911, the front and side facades facing the street were remodeled.
Tragedy struck in 1955 when fires ravaged the church’s interior. However, between 1963 and 1964, a meticulous restoration returned Iglesia San Roque to its original glory. Today, you can still see polychrome wooden images from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Iglesia San Roque owes its name to Saint Roque. He is the patron saint of diseases and plagues. The chapel belonged to the Third Franciscan Order. It stands on the same site as the second construction of the Convent and Church of San Francisco in 1602.
In 1727, the Franciscan fathers sold this land to the Third Order. The land measured forty varas long from east to west. It was eleven and a half varas wide from north to south. An interesting detail is recorded in a deed dated August 3, 1750. The Third Order paid the Franciscans five thousand pesos to build the Church of San Francisco.
A popular belief suggests Iglesia San Roque originated as a humble hermitage. However, records indicate this hermitage never materialized. In 1621, the brothers of the Third Order sought permission to build a chapel to San Roque. This was meant to ward off the plague that afflicted the city. Yet, this construction never occurred.
Around 1726, the brothers of the Third Order had saved enough money. They planned to use alms and annual savings to build their chapel. After acquiring the land in 1750, construction began. Brother Andrés Blanqui created the plans for the chapel and the pantheon. Antonio Masella and Friar Vicente Muñoz supervised the work.
In 1756, the chapel remained unfinished. Funds had run out. The decision was made to ask for charitable donations. By 1758, master builders Manuel Alvarez de Rocha and Francisco Alvarez were contracted. They planned to construct the roof, the dome, and the frontispiece. Finally, around 1762, Iglesia San Roque was completed.
In 1792, the Spanish tile roof was replaced with brick. This change aimed to prevent water damage. Further improvements occurred in 1880 and 1901. The chapel including the pantheon and sacristy measures thirty meters long, eight meters wide, and nine meters high. Architect Sackman decorated it in the German Baroque style. The belfry holds a bronze bell. Zacarías Ditrich cast it in Seville in 1759. The bell depicts San Roque and San Francisco.
The pantheon is the largest underground burial site in Buenos Aires. It features two access staircases and three windows. After 1882, burials were prohibited there.
Iglesia San Roque also holds historical significance. On December 1, 1828, Unitarians gathered here. They declared Manuel Dorrego overthrown and proclaimed General Lavalle in his place.
After the devastating events of June 16, 1955, only the walls of Iglesia San Roque remained standing. In 1942, it was declared a National Historic Monument. Decree number 120.412 recognized its importance to Argentina’s heritage. Iglesia San Roque stands as a testament to faith. It also stands as a testament to resilience.