San Lázaro is reputedly the first church established in Sucre, traditionally dated to 1538, the year the Spanish founded the city as La Plata. The current building dates from later restorations but preserves the simple single-nave plan and squat bell tower typical of the earliest colonial churches in Bolivia. It sits a few blocks north-east of the central plaza on a small square named after it.
Inside, look for the 17th-century carved wooden altarpiece in the apse and a wonderful Virgen del Carmen image. The church is small, often half-empty even at mass, and feels more humble than its grander neighbours — a useful reminder that not every colonial church was built by viceroys with silver to spare. Hours are limited; try early morning or late afternoon.