 In 1862 the parish church, which bore the name "St Michael Archangel", was demolished to build a larger temple that would also serve as an oratory of veneration for the Virgin Our Lady of Peace.It is presumed that the first stone was laid by President Gerardo Barrios on November 21 of that year.The first person in charge of its construction was the English engineer William Kirk who had to leave the project shortly after the death of Barrios.