testmeat photoblog

i'm not a churchgoer, and as such haven't stepped inside that many, unless there was a good excuse like a christening... or gig. when i do go inside i tend to appreciate it for what it is - a big building. for better or worse, and i'd tend towards the latter, churches tend to have more money thrown at them than other buildings. this usually results in a grand piece of architecture - but as with all architecture - it can be viewed subjectively. so you can encounter massive holy buildings that just don't hit the mark and, from a completely non-spiritual perspective, makes you feel nothing. iglesia san francisco was not one of those buildings. in fact i can say without hyperbole that this was the most impressive church i've ever set foot in. the painted exterior is a little ugly and gives no clues as to the wooden treasure chest it holds inside - it took my non-christian breath away. impressive as well to think that this church, which is in castro - a town in the chilean island of chiloe, was rebuilt twice after the first two burnt down. i guess they put so much goddamn lacquer on it was an accident just waiting to happen.

here's the original