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About Cusco Colonial attractiveness in the City |
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The Basilica Cathedral |
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The Basilica Cathedral:
The Cathedral took 94 years to build and was originally constructed over the Sunturwasi (a house of weapons and coat of arms) where the Chapel of Triunfo stands today. Following the great earthquake of 1650 the crown ordered the new Cathedral to be built on the site of Inka Wiraqocha's palace Kiswarkancha.
The façade of the Cathedral is built in the renaissance style and the highest point of the Cathedral is 33 meters (108 ft.). The Cathedral is built in the farm of a Latin cross, with one nave and two aisles. The Epistle Aisle toward the east and the Gospel Aisle toward the west, with a transept that connects the two minor chapels with the Cathedral.
The Cathedral's interior is decorated with numerous wood carvings in cedar and alder wood. The most outstanding and |
exquisite carvings are by Martín Torres and Melchor Huamán. Among the fine art work is the cedar-wood choir, the pulpit, the choir stalls and various other pieces of furniture; the high altar is fashioned in silver. The Cathedral holds one of the major collections of colonial art in Perú, as well as works in repoussé on silver. One of the most notable works is a Cusqueñan rendition of the Last Supper. In this work, painted by the Cusqueño artist Marcos Zapata, Jesus and his Apostles are eating cuy and drinking chicha.
In the El Triunfo Chapel there is a painting of the devastatingly destructive earthquake of 1650 and the altar is adorned by El Señor de Los Temblores (Lord of the Earthquakes") - Cusco's patron saint.
In the tower of the Gospel is the famous María Angola bell -one of the largest church bells in the world. The bell is 2.15 meters (7ft) high and weighs 5,980 kgs (13,216 lbs). the María Angola is cracked and is only rung on special occasions now to call people to religious celebrations such as the procession of the Lord of the Earthquakes" and Corpus Christi.
The Compañía de Jesus:
La Compañía de Jesús was built by the priests of the Jesuit Order, who arrived in Cusco in 1571. In 1576 they began construction of the church on the site of Inca Wayna Qhapaq's palace Amaru kancha.
The earthquake of 1650 destroyed the church and reconstruction began in 1661 and was completed 15 years later with a re-opening ceremony on August 19, 1668.
The church is built in the shape of a Latin Cross and over its entrance is a baroque carving of the Virgin of the Inmaculate Conception. The single nave of the church has a transept that connects the two side chapels: the Virgin of Loreto Chapel and the Chapel of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The high altar is carved from cedar and gilded in gold flake.
The altars are of cedar wood and most of them are covered by a golden outer skin. There is a large number of canvases, some of them representing the wedding between Isabel Ñusta Princess of Peru (sister of one of the last Incas) with Diego Oñas de Loyola (nephew of Saint Ignacio de Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order).
Among the most relevant sculptures are those of San Jerónimo, San Francisco , and the Lord of Burgos - a statue of Christ which is original in its depiction of a metal nail in each foot.
Church and Convent of La Merced:
La Merced 's facade is beautiful and includes a single baroque style tower of exceptional stone work. Inside, it has a wide principal nave and two relatively narrow aisles with stoned columns and arches. The first cloister is especially notable for its complex ornamentation. It has two floors and archways with solid rectangular pillars with beautifully carved Corinth columns.
The most remarkable piece of art in La Merced is a solid-gold ostensorium. This priceless work of religious art has two styles: The upper section is baroque and was created by the Spanish artist Juan de Olmos en 1720, and the lower section is designed in the renaissance style and was created by the Cusqueño artist Manuel de la Piedra in 1805. The ostensorium weighs 22.2 Kgs. (49 lbs) and is 1.3 mters (4.3 ft.) tall. It is encrusted with 1,500 diamonds, 615 pearls and numerous rubies, topazes and emeralds.
La Merced was severely affected by the earthquake in 1650, and was completely uninhabitable afterwards. In 1675 reconstruction was finished, and although the architects were Spanish, the construction was completely done by Andean craftsman and workers.
Church and Convent of San Francisco:
Founded by Franciscan priests in 1645, the church has two facades and one tower, all made from stone in the old Spanish style. Construction was finished in 1652. Highly original features include the church's catacombs, religious paintings, and wood carvings.
Inside the convent, the is a spectacular ad epic canvas that measures 12 meters by 9 meters (39.4 ft by 29.5 ft) depicting the genealogical tree of the Franciscan order with 683 unrepeated characters and 224 coats of arms, painted by Juan Espinoza de los Monteros.
Church and Convent of Santa Clara:
Ground was broken for the Church of Santa Clara in 1558. Both mestizo and Andea builders and craftsman contributed to the project.
The church has a formidable high altar with venecian mirrors and is the only example of this style in Cusco. The high altar was built by Pedro de Oquendo.
Church of San Pedro:
The Church of San Pedro was built on the original site of the Hospital de Los Naturales in 1668.
The interior sober and restrained, although the church has many pictorial works, sculptures, carvings and works of gold. The artist Juan Tomás tuyru Tupaq was in charge of the overall construction ad personally carved the church's pulpit.
Convent of Santa Catalina:
Construction of Santa Catalina began in 1605, over the Incan foundation of Aqlla Wasi (House of the Virgins of the Sun") - an Incan convent for noble women devoted to the cult of the sun god.
The architecture of Santa Catalina corresponds to the late renaissance period, with the presence of Roman style arches. It has a capitular hall with fresco paintings and other works of art including magnificent works of gold, paintings, sculptures, and textiles.
Santa Catalina also houses an interesting museum inside the convent featuring some of the best Cusqueña School paintings in Cusco.
Church of Santo Domingo:
Santo Domingo was built over the foundations of Qorikancha, which was the Inca's most important and religious temple -the Incan Temple of the Sun.
The Dominican order was founded in Cusco en 1534, and Santo Domingo was the first convent that the order established in Peru. The earthquakes of 1650 and 1950 severely damaged the church and significant reconstruction was required each time.
The Church of Santo Domingo has an identical character and form to that of La Merced and San Francisco . The church features the characteristics of XVI century architecture; however the evolution from Incan to Spanish architecture is single-handedly symbolized here in Cusco 's most historical monument.
The tower of the church is unmistakably baroque and is from the XVIII century. It is a monument of Peruvian architecture and the ceiling of the entrance hall is remarkable. Santo Domingo includes a sculpture of Santo Domigo de Guzmán, carved in 1698 by the Andean sculptor Melchor Huamán as well as paintings by the most famous Cusqueña School artist, Juan de Espinoza and Diego Quispe Tito.
Qorikancha - The Temple of The Sun:
Qorikancha ("Golden Palace") was, without a doubt, the most magnificent, richest, and largest temple ever constructed by the Inkas, In its time, Qorikancha was the most amazing and artistic work of creative and architectural genius of the Tawantinsuyo civilization. From a religious point of view Qorikancha was the most important of all temples throughout the Inka Empire.
The Inca's high priest, accompanied by other priests and women specially chosen for the sun god, lived and taught the cult of the sun at Qorikancha. According to Inkan cosmogony, Qorikancha was located at the center of the world. From here all "ceques" or road connected the Temple of the Sun with other sacred sites throughout the Inka Empire and the Tawantinsuyo civilization.
The most important sections of Qorikancha were the royal accommodations and temples devoted to the Moon, Stars, and the Rainbow. Today Qorikancha is best characterized by the Inkan stone masonry of the semi-circular tower on the west end of the structure, which remains undamaged by repeated earthquakes.
Church of San Blas:
The colonial parish of San Blas was constructed in the XVI century and is the oldest of its kind in Cusco . This unique and historical neighbourhood is home to the simple adobe brick Church of San Blas , inside of which is the Pulpit of San Blas. The pulpit is an exctraordinary work of artistic carpentry done in the Spanish baroque (Churrigruresco) style. The pulpit is the most impressive cedar carving found in Peru, and was carved from a single tree trunk by an unknown Cusqueño artist. The church's baroque-style high altar is also carved of cedar and gilded in gold flake.
The San Blas neighbourhood, known as the "Artisan neighbourhood", is one of Cusco's most unique areas, characterized by steep narrow streets and old Spanish style houses ("casonas") built over Incan foundations. The upper most parts of San Blas offer beautiful views of the city. The whole neighbourhood is essentially a permanent art show. And here, the creative talent of Cusco 's best sculptors, painters and ceramists display their artistic work every Saturday in the San Blas Square.
On the San Blas Square, a beautiful ornamental fountain is located facing the city, and the square also serves as the stage for various artistic and cultural events.
