Two blocks south of Plaza Independencia, the Church and Convent of San Francisco is one of the city's most distinctive colonial-era buildings. The current church dates from the 18th century, though the Franciscan order has had a presence on the site since the city was founded in 1565. The facade is painted in deep yellow and white, with an ornate baroque centrepiece and a single bell tower that gives it a quiet, asymmetrical charm.
The interior is intimate compared to the cathedral, with a carved wooden altarpiece and a small cloister attached to the working convent. The church is open during services and for short visits in between; the cloister is sometimes accessible by request. It is worth stopping in for a few minutes if you are walking south from the plaza towards the market.