Cusco Churches

Cusco Peru

The Cathedral Main Nave Built upon the foundations of the Inca Temple, Suntur Wasi (home of god) and also according to the chronicles the palace of the Inca Wiracocha, Cusco's Cathedral was begun in 1560, and was not finished intil 1669. The interior was created in a Renaissance style with woodcarvings in cedar and alder. The most prominnet carvings are the chorus, the pulpit, the altars and the wooden pews.

The Cathedral is also home to more than 400 "Cusco School" paintings by important artists, and also embossed silver artwork.

	The Company of Jesus Built directly on top of the Amaru Kanka (Field of the Serpent), which was a splendid rock building and also the palace of the Inca Wayna Qhapaq, this Barroque style church dates back to 1650 . The Company of Jesus also houses various oil paintings (specially famous, is the one depicting the wedding of San Ignacio de Loyola's nephew with an indigenous princess), and we
cannot forget the subterranean passages and galleries.

Temple and Convent of La Merced The antique temple and cloister were still functioning until 1650, when an earthquake hit and made it uninhabitable. In 1675, the restoration was complete with help form experience indigenous craftsmen. The face is very beatiful, and the temple's tower stands out as a baroque masterpiace, and the sacristy guards to church's custody with gold and precius stones.

Santo Domingo Temple Spanish Construction built directly over the Inca Temple of Qorikanka. Established in Cusco in 1534. it was the firts Dominican convent in Peru. The convent has very valuable collection of paitings from the XVII and XVIII Centuries. The images of saints such as Saint Juan Masias. Saint Martin of Porres, Saint Rose of Lima and Virgin of the Rosary are well worth visiting.