This church was built in 1767 with initiative and financing from the Corregidor Luis Manuel de Zañartu, who wrote a letter to King Carlos III requesting its construction. The great overflow of the river that occurred in 1783 flooded the building and wreaked havoc on the nuns living inside. This moment would lead to the inception of female literature in Chile by way of Sor Tadea García de la Huerta who, in an extensive retelling, recounts the hapless events experienced by the sisters of the convent. The original building was destroyed during the earthquake of 1822 and rebuilt around 1870 by Fermín Vivaceta, who added the iconic image of the the Archangel Raphael to the top of the tower.

It is likely the most emblematic building on La Cañadilla –Independencia from its construction to this very day. Its church and courtyards were declared a National Historical Monument on November 24, 1983 under Decree Nº 1412