Churches of Cusco

The Cathedral

It is situated on the site of the ancient Inca palace of Wiracocha, which was destroyed by the Spanish invaders in order to built the cathedral. The impressive building was constructed during 94 years from 1560 to 1654. It is composed by three great naves, which are supported by 14 columns topped with 21 half point arches. The Cathedral has also 10 chapels. The cathedral saves a wonderful collection of paintings composed by 350 paintings of the classical “Escuela Cusqueña de Arte” (Art School of Cusco the most important of America), sculpture and marvelous pews. The last earthquake, in 1950, seriously damaged the Cathedral, and its reconstruction lasted three years,it was funded by the government of Spain which sent the architect, Andres Boyer, to supervise the process. Today it is totally restored.

The chapels of the cathedral saves silver carriages, silver canopies , silver platforms, candelabras and incense vessels which are brought out during the religious street procession of Corpus Christi. Besides, there are also many paintings of the famous Cusqueño artist (artist of Cusco) “Diego Quispe Tito”, who represented in his paintings the Parables of Christ.

The major altar was built in 1803 and is decorated with silver plates. It was donated by a Spanish Bishop, diocesan of Cusco in that time, and displays over a ton and half of silver work in the form of garlands, grapes, moldings, medals, etc. Besides one of the towers saves the "María Angola", the biggest bell of Peru and one of the greatest in the world.

The cathedral of Cusco is a jewel of the Spanish colonial period. It is opened to the public from Monday to Wednesday and from Friday to Saturday from 10:00 to 11:30 and every day from 14:00 to 17:30. You can enter with the tourist ticket.

“La Compañía de Jesús”

This beautiful church is located in the “Plaza de Armas” (Main Square) near the cathedral. It is built over one of the lasts and biggest palaces in the ancient Qosqo, the palace of Huayna Capac also named as “Amarucancha”. 

 
After arrival of Spanish invaders, this place was property of Hernando Pizarro and later it belonged to Diego de Silva and his wife, who in 1571 donated this place to the Jesuits.

The first church constructed in this place was demolished because of the earthquake of 1650 but it was rebuilt and was finished in the XVIII century. Its design and its façade are samples of Andean Baroque. The altarpiece is decorated with medium-height towers and its stone walls had been carefully worked by local artists. The church saves an important art collection. It highlights “El Matrimonio de Martín García de Loyola con Beatriz Clara Coya” ("The Marriage of Martín García de Loyola with Beatriz Clara Coya"), this painting is a true masterpiece of art.

Another beautiful picture is “San Ignacio de Loyola” (Saint Ignatius of Loyola) an amazing  painting made by the local artist Marcos Zapata. There is also a wonderful statue of the Immaculate Conception Virgin carved in marble. Inside this church is also the figure of  “Señor de Burgos” (Christ of Burgos) which is highly revered by railway workers of the city. You can visit this wonderful church from Monday to Saturday between 11:00 and 16:00. Admission is free.

“La Merced”

Probably “La Merced” is the most beautiful temple of Cusco. It has a baroque style unique in the city. This church and convent was founded by “Riña Sebastián de Castañeda” in 1535 but the actual building was constructed from 1657 to 1680. This temple is dedicated to the “Virgen de la Merced” (Virgin of the Merced) also known as “Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes” (Our Lady of the Mercedes). The convent saves beautiful paintings and sculptures of the Art School of Cusco, like the statue of the “Señor de Huanca” (Christ of Huanca) a precious sculpture, which is one of the most revered in the city. It highlights also the “Custodia” an amazing solid gold monstrance swathed in precious stones, which is 1.3 meters high (around 4 feet) and weighs 22 Kg (48.5 pounds)  and is crowned by an immense siren-shaped perl (considered the second in the world.). It was made by Luis Ayala de Olmos in the XVII century. This impressive cultural treasure is saved in the Sacristy which serves also as museum.

Another impressive piece is the Cross of the Priest “Pedro Urraca” which is totally covered of silver planes, it believes that this cross can do miracles; therefore it is very revered by the local population.

The church was declared Minor Basilica by the Pope Pio XII in 1946. It was seriously damage in the earthquake of 1986, but now is totally restored. You can visit “La Merced” from Monday to Saturday from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00. Admission cost S/.3 for adults ($1) and S/. 2($0.6) for children.

San Blas (Saint Blaise)

This church is located in the neighborhood of the same name, which was known as “Toqo Kachi” by the Incas and was one of the most important districts of the former Qosqo; since it was inhabited by the Incan aristocracy.

The church has an architectural style quite simple, it is made of adobe and its façade have not many details. But inside the temple is one of the best and most impressive works of carving wood of the world, the famous “Púlpito de San Blas” (Pulpit of Saint Blas), which is an unsurpassable baroque carving wood. This incredible pulpit was finished around 1692 and is filigree made of a single piece of cedar. The pulpit is composed by a balcony (basin), a thorax (main body), a sounding board (cupola) and a gallery (entrance). The spherical basin is supported by a bronze structure; it contains 8 human busts that represent to: Martin Lutero, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, Henry VII, the queen Elizabeth of England, Arius, Phocion and Catherine of Bora; all were Catholicism heretics. The baroques columns represent to the 4 evangelists and the central portion is a sculpture of “Immaculate Conception of Mary”. On the pulpit thorax is engraved in high relief the image of Saint Blas. The sounding board is decorated with sculptures of Saint Bonaventure, Saint Thomas of Aquinas, Saint Augustine, Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Jerome, Saint Bernard and Saint Francis of Sales. The pulpit is crowned by a sculpture of Saint Paul with a crucifix, which is supported by archangels. The pulpit also is known as the triumphant figure of Christ.

You can visit San Blas from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 11:30 and from 14:00 to 17:30 with the tourist ticket.

Santa Catalina

Like most of the Downtown’s buildings, it was constructed over a Incan structure, in this case the “Acllahuasi” (“the house of the virgins” or “the house of the chosen girls). The convent of Renaissance style was founded in 1601 by Lucía Isabel Rivera de Padilla, nevertheless the original building was destroyed in the earthquake of 1650. The actual structure was constructed between 1651 and 1669. The convent saves a great number of beautiful “retablos” and paintings of the Art School of Cusco, most of the art pieces were made by local artisans like Pedro de Oquendo, Pedro Galeano, Juan Espinoza de los Monteros, etc. It highlights the canvas of the “Virgen del Rosario” (Virgin of Rosary) painted by Lorenzo Sanchez de Medina. The convent hosts also a museum with many paintings of the colonial period including a great collection of diverse paintings and canvas about the “Señor de los Temblores” (Lord of the earthquakes or Christ of the earthquakes), the Patron of Cusco. The convent is located at Nº190 “Santa Catalina” street and you can visit it from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00 and Saturday from 9:00 to 16:00 with the tourist ticket.

 
San Francisco Church and Convent

It is located in the square of the same name and was constructed by the Franciscan order, which was one of the first that arrived to Cusco. The temple was designed by the Cusquenian architect Francisco Dominguez Chavez de Arellano. The church has a simple architectural style with one tower and two gates. The building was constructed between 1645 and 1651. It highlights a monumental canvas of Juan Espinoza de los Monteros, which is 12 x 9 meters and represent the genealogy of the Franciscan family. Inside the convent are the catacombs, where they buried the Franciscan priests and some members of the aristocracy during the colonial period.

The Sistine Chapel of America (Church of Andahuaylillas)

The church of “San Pedro” de Andahuaylillas saves a great and wonderful collection of art, therefore it is considered the “Sistine Chapel of America”. The building was constructed in the XVII century and is totally decorated with murals painted by the artist Luis Riaño. These murals represent the route to the paradise and the route to the hell. The church saves also a great number of canvases and paintings of the Art School of Cusco, several silver works and beautiful baroques altars as well as an amazing former piano. It highlights also the painting of the “Virgen de la Asunción” (Virgin of the Assumption) painted by the famous Spanish artist Esteban Murillo and the two pulpits carved in wood. This church is located in the district of Andahuaylillas in the province of Quispicanchis at south of Cusco city (40 minutes driving).

Other important temples in Cusco are:

• Monastery of Santa Teresa, beautiful temple luxury decorated.


• Monastery of Santa Clara, church of Renaissance style


• San Pedro, a small and beautiful church in the Downtown.


• Church of San Cristóbal, former and beautiful church next to the Incan Temple of the “The Three Windows”.


• Church of San Sebastian, impressive temple of baroque style in the surroundings of the City.


• Church of San Jerónimo, amazing church with beautiful balconies of wood.


• Church of Santa Ana, a former colonial church with a fascinating view of the city.


• Seminary of San Antonio Abad, the former place where studied the future priests

Request more information:

Send to a friend

Your comments or questions: Price quote | Book now