The Congregation of the Sacramentinos arrived in Chile in 1908, through the efforts of María Luisa Lecaros de Marchant, to found a convent in Santiago and to build a church in the image and likeness of the Sacré Coeur de Paris.

A group of Sacramentino priests boarded a ship in Genoa to Buenos Aires from where they continued their trip to Los Andes by train. There they were received by the Assumptionist Fathers. Then, they travelled to Santiago to be hosted by the Claretian Fathers in the Basilica of the Heart of Mary. It is there where they begin the efforts to acquire a piece of land and build their church and convent. Soon appeared the benefactors and the resources needed to commence this magnificent work. Pope Pius X sent in his own handwriting the Apostolic Blessing to those who contributed to the construction of the temple “their surnames shall be written in manuscripts in Gothic letters on an album that shall be placed inside a special urn under the high altar and shall also receive an indulgence of 300 days.”

On June 7, 1912, the first stone was blessed, thus beginning the construction of the temple in November of the same year.

On March 23, 1913, the Episcopal Conference awarded it the title of National Votive Temple of the Blessed Sacrament, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, in commemoration of the first centenary of the National Independence.

The Crypt was finished on June 5, 1919 and the construction of the upper temple continued in 1920 and was handed over for partial use in March 1931. The bells were first rung on June 16, 1924.

In 1982, the Almagro square was revamped and extended as a park towards the west. This revamping gave the temple a great perspective.

During the 1985 earthquake, the church suffered severe damages, the large cross of the dome collapsed, as well as part of the cover and most stained glass windows. The 1988 restoration only covered the problems that were visible.

The 2010 27F earthquake also caused several damages in the basilica.

In 2009, thanks to a FONDART project in its Bicentennial line, the temple underwent a partial restoration. However, the basilica still has unfinished works that require intervention.