The Iglesia San José is one of Matagalpa's colonial churches, a quieter and more intimate space than the cathedral and worth seeking out for that reason. The church dates from the colonial period and has the modest, sun-bleached appearance of highland Central American religious architecture — terracotta tiles, whitewashed walls, a narrow belfry.
The surrounding barrio of San José is one of the more authentic residential areas in the city, less touched by the commercial activity of the centre. Walking through on a Sunday morning, when the church is in use, gives a better sense of everyday Matagalpa than the central plaza.