Description

At the time of arrival of the Spaniards to the capital of Tahuantinsuyo, they were always accompanied by the Catholics, to evangelize the conquered tribes, the religious orders at that time gave the order to build churches and convents on important Inca palaces and temples to change The ideas of beliefs of the Incas in less time possible these constructions today are considered as works of art. Where all these churches are considered in religious touristic circuit. Below we describe some of the most important churches in Cusco.

The Cathedral of Cusco

At the time of Tahuantinsuyo Cusco was the capital of the largest empire in South America, where the great “Plaza del Qosqo” was surrounded by Inca palaces, built for the “Royal Panaka” of the great Inca ruler, known as the great family of the Inca, before this cathedral was built there existed an old palace of the Inca Wiracocha called the “Suntur Wasi”. This wonderful example of baroque colonial architecture was built with stones taken from the walls of Saqsayhuaman. It was recognized as the minor basilica of the Catholic Church on February 8, 1928. The construction, with three naves, is built on a living-room-type floor. A surprising detail is the fusion between the order of the capitals and friezes and the type of cover used: the ribbed vault, characteristic of Gothic. This leads to a surprising amalgam of styles, often known as the Latin American Baroque style.

Church of the Society of Jesus

This architectural construction is a jewel of the colonial era in Cusco is located in the south west part of the “Main Square” of Cusco, near the churches of Santa Catalina and the Cathedral of Cusco, this building presents a Baroque style, in this place it was the Amarukancha Palace built for the Inca huayna Capac. The founder of the order of the Society of Jesus was Saint Ignatius of Loyola, this chapel was built for the “Chapel of the Indians” also called “Our Lady of Loreto”. This church is made of andesite stone and has a very beautiful facade. Upon entering you will see a beautiful virgin (immaculate conception) carved in marble; Inside, the main altar made of cedar and covered with gold leaves stands out; It is built almost entirely of stone and stands out for its paintings and carvings.

Church of La Merced

This ship is located one block from the Main Square of Cusco. It was founded in 1223 by the French San Pedro Nolasco, with the main objective of reimbursing the captives. In Cusco the church and the convent were founded in 1535 by Rina Sebastián de Castañeda. The land was donated by the Marquis Francisco Pizarro with all the attributes that conferred upon him the right of overcomers. It has simply a tower with a Cusqueño baroque style model bell. The church has today the title of Minor Basilica granted by Pope Pius XII in 1946. It has one thousand five hundred and eighteen diamonds and fine diamonds, sixteen fifteen pearls, an amethyst, a topaz, three emeralds, several dozens of rubies and other precious stones. ” In addition, in the precinct there are various mostly anonymous canvases highlighting the “Coronation of the Virgin” painted by Bernardo Bitti, “The Holy Family” attributed to Rubens and another “Coronation of the Virgin” and a small “Holy Family” attributed to Diego Quispe tito.

Church of San Francisco of Asís

The Franciscan Order was founded by San Francisco native of Assisi of Italy in the 13th century, where the Franciscans arrived at the time of the conquest where different places of the city of Cusco were appropriated, such as the current San Blas, Regocijo Square, La Casona de Pachacuteq. It is unknown who was the architect who designed the current structure although it is known that the one who completed it in 1652 was the Cusco architect Francisco Domínguez Chavez y Arellano who worked as a mason; the structure of the present church is relatively simple and consists of a single tower with two entrance doors, but it is solid and made with andesites of pre-Hispanic constructions. His original works of art were destroyed by a Prior who “modernized” the church with crude neoclassical works of yes and also are pictorial works of the Cusco Diego Quispe Tito, Basilio Santa Cruz, Antonio Sinchi Roca and Marcos Zapata among others.

Church and Santo Domingo Convent

This Convent of Santo Domingo, was built on the archaeological complex of the Temple of “Qorikancha” which in Quechua means the “Golden Surround” in the time of the Incas was the great temple for the sun god, where he kept a golden disk in the middle of this construction. The city of Cusco was built in the shape of a Puma and this place would be the tail of the Puma. The present church has three naves and a platform of construction in the form of Greek Cross, the facade is of plateresque characteristics and the tower of the church is of characteristic Barroca with tendency to Churrigueresco. The church, in addition to the front, has another cover on the side of the Epistle. It is bigger. It offers two bodies and three streets, a semicircular arch, empty shell niches and a central niche with an image of the Virgin of the Rosary between the Dominican and Franciscan shields; it also has a pediment of divided triangle and undulating volutes, some motivation of Mudejar origin and others of the dominant baroque. It is carried with architectural value, and is accompanied, already on the street, by the so-called Cruz de Piedra, which stands on a sturdy pedestal at the height of the presbytery.

Church and Convent of Santa Catalina

Currently this place occupies the museum of Santa Catalina, this church was built in an important place of the time of the Incas, known as the “Aclla Wasi” or called as the “House of the Chosen” this construction was dedicated to Santa Catalina, in this church stands out for the magnificence of its buildings, with arcades of double column, Roman style, in its interiors; with corridors, hallways, cloisters, simply beautiful.

Today, there is a beautiful museum of colonial art that is possibly the most complete in the city; where in a first room are exhibited diverse canvases that represent, the Lord of the Earthquakes and others anonymous; later in the passage another collection representing the life and miracles of Santa Rosa of Lima. The low choir presents various canvases depicting the life of Santo Domingo de Guzman painted by Juan Espinoza de los Monteros and a collection of nine rich chasubles embroidered with strands of precious metals. The Chapter Room is interesting and contains frescoes by Acomaíno Tadeo Escalante; the frescoes are around the whole precinct and represent the religious and virtuous life in the upper part and lower the courtesan life. On the second floor, there is a complex birth as an altarpiece that when folded becomes a trunk; the high choir presents a rustic organ made in the Qosqo and canvases that represent the life of Dona Santa Catalina.

Church of San Blas

This church is located in the neighborhood of San Blas, known as the neighborhood of artisans, in the Inca era was called the neighborhood of “Toqocachi” but the current church of San Blas is built in a place, where was the Inca temple ” Illapa “means temple dedicated to the” God of Lightning “where on this monument of artistic representations come out a canvas of the resurrection of Lazaro, work of the master Diego Quispe Tito and the world-famous pulpit of San Blas, carved in cedar wood from Cusco, made by an indigenous teacher where an exquisite exornation is appreciated that evidences a deep theological knowledge. At present, there is family accommodation that is offered to tourists and allows them to share the well-known Andean hospitality and friendship, as well as their Andean customs and typical foods.

Church of Bethlehem

The convent of nativity is the oldest and the first convent of mestizo women of the city of Cusco, was founded on April 30, 1550. The Bethlehem temple has two towers and has a beautiful plateresque facade. The temple was built in the XVII century, the reconstruction that was made of it, it was only completed in the year 1715 having in charge the architect of the master work; Juan Tomas Tuyu Túpac. It is said that before they were called the church of the “Magi Kings” fishermen found in the Chalaco Sea, a box of large proportions, which was floating. Interested in the discovery, they brought him to the shore, great was the surprise of these men, when they opened the box, found inside the effigy of the Virgin Mary with the child in his arms. Accompanying this Marian image, a note, which was said to be the Virgin of Bethlehem and was intended for the city of Cusco, then the religious authorities sent to the city of Cusco, but there was a beautiful place in the city of Cusco, so they put it to the church of the wise men. Then, it changed its name as the church of the Nativity scene.

with eighteen Solomonic columns, having as crowning of his tabernacle, made of silver, a Paschal Lamb on the Book of the Seven Seals where also houses beautiful paintings of the Cusco school as the pulpit was carved by the famous Cusco Juan Tomas Tuyru Túpac. The two bell towers give the facade a Renaissance cut.

 

Church of San Cristobal

The Church of San Cristobal was a construction of the colonial era is located in the city of Cusco was built in the sixteenth century and today forms the cultural heritage of the nation in the historical monument of the city of Cusco, the beginning of construction was he gave thanks to the initiative of Mr. Cristobal Paullo who was the owner of the land that was built this beautiful temple that is located next to the ancient ruins of Qolcapata whose construction is attributed to Manco Capac on the hill named Colcapata, but the name San Cristobal the name of the church would be to his godfather Don Cristobal Baca de Castro. The reconstruction of the temple was directed by the artist Diego Quispe Tito and by the financier Bishop Mollinedo.

In the interior of the Church, poor and decayed, you can see beautiful golds, works done by good artists and teachers. Both the front and the tabernacle are made of silver, the latter of solid silver. There are pictures worthy of contemplation, paintings, many of which are copies of famous European masters, especially the famous nicknamed Raphael known as “El Divino”, when the famous “Escuela Cuzqueña” (Cusquenian School) was booming whose distinctive is the stew in gold. There are also turned railings, gilded altarpieces, altars in poor condition but of remarkable and fine carving. Visit during worship hours.