The city of Mendoza in western Argentina, situated at the foot of the Andes, was founded in 1561. From the end of the 16th century and throughout the 17th century a slow process of colonisation to the city took place which included a number of different religious orders including the Jesuits. This study examines archaeological evidence from the Jesuit church in Mendoza in terms of the graves and tombs, the spatial arrangement of the internments, gravegoods and funerary treatment which may be indicative of lifestyle, living conditions and social status. Such evidence is also used to suggest what the character and role of the church may have been in the city from the 17th to 19th century. Spanish text; French summary.