The Church of San Juan Nepomuceno was begun by the first Spanish settlers of the El Rito Valley in 1827 and completed in 1832. Originally flat roofed and built with small window openings in five-foot-thick walls, it served not only as an imposing temple but also as a defensive fortification in this frontier area of New Mexico. The influence of French priests changed some of the interior decoration, but the church retained much of its original look through its 150 years. A major structural collapse in 1979 led to a decision to restore the structure because of its historical importance as the cradle of Catholicism throughout Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. The reconstruction, completed in 1982, attempted to restore much of the original colonial Hispanic artwork and spirituality. Noted historians and architects have termed it one of the most beautiful examples of historical New Mexican churches.