Church of Tenaun

About

The Tenaun Church was one of over 70 churches built on the Chiloé Archipelago by missionaries in the 17th through 19th centuries. Tenaun in particular was one of the later projects, being built in the mid-1800s. Even so, the missionaries still worked with the locals rather than imposing a foreign style of building on them. Fishermen were turned into architects, and constructed the church from using native wood and traditional techniques. After praising the quaint facade, step inside to see how locals applied their shipbuilding knowhow to the construction. Please note: the opening hours are inconsistent, but even if you can’t go inside, the charming exterior still makes a visit worthwhile.