IGLESIA EL ROSARIO

The El Rosario church is a surprising sight among the historic buildings in the center of San Salvador: it's built in the shape of an arch, and its façade is wedged between other buildings. What a surprise once inside! There are no pillars to block the view, and the arch forms a thousand-colored shaft of light. A sublime sight not to be missed. Its modern architecture, enriched by European influences and unique on the continent, is the work of architect and sculptor Rubén Martínez, who died in 2023 and is buried in the crypt. Previously, the church had been built of wood, but it was in 1962 that Dominican monk Alejandro Peinador commissioned Rubén Martínez to design the new church. Domingo Iturgáiz was chosen to create the chromatic stained-glass windows. The project had to wait for Vatican approval. Work lasted from 1964 to 1971. A superb carved Stations of the Cross, also by Rubén Martínez, is located next to the crypt. The church also has a strong historical value. In 1979, students demonstrating in Plaça de La Libertad took refuge here after the police started shooting at them (bullet marks can still be seen on the church's metal entrance door and side wall). 23 students died, and for 3 weeks, students set up headquarters in the church. This sad event triggered the beginning of the civil war.