The Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew in the centre of Chillán is a striking piece of modernist ecclesiastical architecture built to replace the colonial church destroyed in the 1939 earthquake. The structure is defined by a dramatic parabolic arch — a massive concrete curve that rises to 36 metres and houses a large rose window. The form is unlike any other cathedral in Chile and was considered radical when it was completed.
The interior is simpler than the exterior suggests, with clean lines and good natural light through the coloured glass. The building sits on the main plaza and is the centrepiece of the rebuilt city centre — the earthquake that destroyed the old Chillán created an opportunity for a new kind of urbanism, and the cathedral is its most visible result. It is open during standard church hours and mass times.