The Church of La MATRIZ is located in Valparaiso, in the heart of the port city, the so-called historical centre, surrounded by cobbled streets and houses of the late nineteenth century.

The first Church building was built on this site in 1559, the little chapel for the residents of the small village and crews staying regularly at the port of Valparaiso. Its walls were made of mud brick, thatched roof. In 1578 the building was burned by the pirate Francis Drake. In 1620 this place was built a new Church, consecrated in honor of the virgin, whose image appears in the coat of arms of the city. Inside the Church was a type of Christ, sent to Santiago by the king of Spain Philip II in 1630, who mistakenly ended up in this Church.

The Church building was again badly damaged and subsequently rebuilt after a devastating tsunami 1730. In 1822, after the next earthquake, it was decided to start a new construction that has attracted a large number of wealthy families and have increased the amount of urban development in Valparaiso.

The construction of the present Church was begun in 1837 and completed in 1842 under the leadership of priest josé Antonio Rioboo. The Church with three naves and a rectangular arch topped by an octagonal tower with a spire and stands out for its harmonious of the main facade. Eight columns surround the tower, where the bells. Inside the Church of three naves separated by arches, the walls are lined with wood and decorated with frescoes and stucco.

The classical style is clearly visible in the facade and tower of the Church. In all other respects - in big, thick mud-brick walls and gabled roof - there is a Creole style of the XVIII century.

In 1900 Valparaiso was devoted to the sacred Heart of Jesus, which represents the solemn statue of the long square in front of the Church of La MATRIZ. Over the last century the Church was repaired after the earthquakes of 1971 and 1985. After the last earthquake in February 2010 were carried out restoration work in 2012. Therefore, the Church of La MATRIZ today is in good condition.

The Church of La MATRIZ was declared a national monument of Chile in 1971.