After the Spaniards conquered the Inca Empire, their first mission was to evangelize the Indians. Due to this mission, each Inca temple was destroyed, remaining only the stone foundations where Catholic churches were built on top. These churches were great architectural monuments and art works of tremendous value. The religious orders established so far in Peru were: Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians and The Order of Mercy. During your stay in Cusco, you can visit churches such as the Cathedral, the church of la Compañia de Jesus, church and convent of Nuestra Señora de la Merced, the convent of Santo Domingo, and the Temple of San Blas.
The Cathedral
The front and interior of the cathedral were made in renaissance style. It has three naves, sacristy; the side chapels and interior are decorated with carved wooden altars and furniture made of cedar and alder. The carvings of El Coro and El Púlpito from Martín Torres and Melchor Huamán stand out. The most important paintings featured inside are: The painting of Nuestra Señora de La Antigua; La Cena paint by Marcos Zapata; Cristo en la Cruz, a copy of master piece from the Spanish painter Alonso Cano. There are also works made in embossed silver, such as a processional carriage, the andas (a wooden platform that men carry on their shoulders with the effigy of the Virgin or a Catholic Saint), and other ornaments.
The church of la Compañía de Jesus
It was established in 1571, when the fathers from the Jesuit Order arrived to Cusco and the construction began in 1576, at a place called Amaru Kancha, according to the street plans of the architect Don Francisco Becerra. The earthquake of 1650, terribly affected the church and it took 15 years to finish its reconstruction. It was re-opened on August 19th, 1668. The church has a shape of a Latin cross and it has a single nave and two towers made in a baroque style. The altars are made of cedar and these are gilded with gold leaf.
The Church and Convent of Nuestra Señora de la Merced
The Convent and Church was founded in 1536, at a place called Llimpipata. In 1650, the antique cloister and church were destroyed by an earthquake. In 1675, the construction was completed. The front is very beautiful and the tower of the church stands out because of its unique baroque stonework. It has three naves, pilasters and arches. Also, the convent is famous because it is the guardian of the Custodia de La Merced, a beautiful work in jewelry. The top section is made in Baroque and Renaissance style, and the lower section, was crafted by the silversmith Manuel Piedra, from Cusco, in 1805.
This article was written by a Peru Travel expert at Peru travel Now, available to help you custom design your exciting Peru Tours.