You are now facing the church of San Francisco Standing at the heart of the town, the
church has a single nave, with a barrel vault and an interesting renaissance altarpiece. It is a
living space, combining tradition and modernity, a meeting point for both locals and visitors
alike.
The church of San Francisco opened its doors for the first time in 1587. It was built outside
the city walls, on the Royal Road to Castile, and has ever since played an important role in
Tolosa. During the Carlist wars it served as a barracks, hospital and warehouse.
The church of San Francisco thus fulfilled an important military and strategic function. It was
used to treat the wounded, and also to store weaponry and provisions to support the Carlist
struggle. That is why the cobbled street leading down beside the church is known as
Soldadu or Soldier street.
This strategic location has made it witness over the centuries to the faith and culture of both
the town itself and the surrounding region. San Francisco Promenade is one of the main
thoroughfares along which life flows in Tolosa. This broad, welcoming boulevard occupies a
meaningful place in the everyday activities of the local populace.
As well as being the stage on which the people of Tolosa play out their daily lives, it also
regularly serves as the venue for fairs, festivals and concerts. The promenade likewise
provides the perfect route along which to stroll through Tolosa town centre, offering a unique
opportunity to discover the historic buildings and landmarks to be found here!
Continuing along San Francisco Promenade, we come to the Provincial Archive. As you can
see, the building stands alone, with no others around it. This was meant as a fire protection
measure, as explained in the previous section.
Today, the church of San Francisco is not only a place of worship, but also an important
venue for the staging of cultural events. Although the church maintains its historical and
artistic status, it has also taken on new uses, warmly welcoming the local community and
visitors. One particularly notable event held there is the International Choral Competition, the
church's excellent acoustics making it the perfect place to stage concerts.
Many other cultural activities also take place in the church, such as exhibitions with seminars
and concerts, further establishing its role in the cultural life of Tolosa.
A few metres further on is our next stop: Frontón.
