A guide to history and architecture
Colonial Splendor of Cusco (1533-1824)
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Guide of Architecture and History
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 3
ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THE AUTHORS LIMAQ PUBLISHING was founded by Ronald Elward and Javier Lizarzaburu in 2010. Its purpose is to investigate and promote Peru’s vast material and immaterial heritage.
Ronald Elward Dutch writer and researcher Ronald Elward worked in the fields of market research and publishing in his native Holland, before moving to Peru in 2008. There he was responsible for the leading professional magazines on real estate and architecture (De Architect). At the age of 21 he wrote his first book on historical houses, and in Lima he created Lima Walks, a company offering 16 architectural and historical routes in the city. He later developed another of his personal interests: the genealogy of the Inca emperors. This became the biggest investigation ever carried out on Inca descendants in Peru. A series of articles was published by El Comercio newspaper and a book is under way.
Javier Lizarzaburu Peruvian journalist and communications consultant Javier Lizarzaburu is the creator of the concept and the campaign Lima Milenaria. He launched it in 2010 as a way to focus the attention of the city on its archaeological wealth. In January 2012 the Mayor of Lima, Susana Villar谩n, declared Lima Ciudad Milenaria y Ciudad de Culturas (Millenial City and City of Cultures) and thus started a process to restore some of the ancient sites. He studied Communication Sciences at the Universidad de Lima and concluded his Doctoral studies on Communications and Latin American History at the Universidad Aut贸noma de Barcelona. For 15 years we worked for the BBC in London and the US, and during this period he won various international awards on journalism and creativity. Currently Javier is a speaker on city issues and writes a blog on architectural heritage.
CONTENTS
1. The architecture of Colonial Cusco 2. Colonial history of Cusco 3. Around the Plaza de Armas 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6
Cathedral Churches of El Triunfo and Jesús and María Church of the Jesuits University of San Antonio Abad Church and Convent of Santa Catalina Casa Concha (Machu Picchu Museum)
4. Around Plaza del Regocijo 4.1 Church and Convent of La Merced 4.2 Casa Garcilaso de la Vega (Museum of Regional History) 4.3 Casa Peralta (formerly Casa del Truco) 4.4 Town Hall 4.5 Casa Picoaga (formerly Corral de Comedias, Hotel Costa del Sol) 4.6 Casa Ugarte (Casa Qoriq’ente) 4.7 Casa Artaza (Aranwa Hotel) 4.8 Church and Convent of Santa Teresa 4.9 Casa de Silva 4.10 Casa de las Seis Pumas (Andean Wings Boutique Hotel) 4.11 Colegio de San Bernardo
5. Around Plaza San Francisco 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6
Casa de los Marqueses de San Lorenzo de Valle Umbroso Tambo Mesón de Estrella Church and Convent of Santa Clara Church and Convent of San Francisco Casa de los Condes de Villaminaya (Casa Clorinda Matto de Turner) Casa Xara (Marqueses and Best Western hotels)
6. Around Plaza Nazarenas 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6
Casa del Almirante (Inka Museum) Casa Cartagena (Hotel) Casa Cabrera (Museum of Pre-Columbian Art) Casa de las Sierpes (Palacio Nazarenas Hotel) Seminary of San Antonio Abad (Monasterio Hotel) Palace of the Archbishop (Museum of Religious Art)
7. Around Plaza Santo Domingo 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4
Casa Del Barco (Scotiabank) Convent of San Agustín (JW Marriott Hotel) Casa de Cuatro Bustos (Libertador Hotel) Church and Convent of Santo Domingo
8. The ‘Eight Parishes of the Indians’ 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8
San Blas San Cristóbal Santa Ana San Pedro (formerly Hospital de Naturales) Santiago Belén San Sebastián (outside Cusco) San Jerónimo (outside Cusco)
9. East of Cusco 9.1 Oropesa 9.2 Andahuaylillas 9.3 Huaro
10. North of Cusco: Marquesado de Santiago de Oropesa 10.1 San Benito de Alcántara (Huayllabamba) 10.2 San Francisco de Maras 10.3 San Bernardo de Urubamba 10.4 Santiago de Oropesa (Yucay)
11. South of Cusco: Villages of Tupac Amaru II 11.1 Surimana 11.2 Tungasuca 11.3 Pampamarca
12. Glossary 13. Index 14. Bibliography
Introduction
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his book is part of a series of guides on history and architecture in Peru. It is aimed at locals and visitors interested in knowing more about the buildings and the people who lived there. It has been divided in an easy format: places to see and visit around the five main squares in the city. Also, for the first time, the historical Eight Parishes of the Indians (a division created during colonial times) are included. Quaint and popular San Blas is one of them, along with the lesser known districts of Santa Ana, San Cristóbal or San Jerónimo. Most people tend to think of Cusco only as the capital of the former Inca Empire. But this magical city is much more. From the 16th century and for the next 250 years, it was the third richest city in the Viceroyalty of Peru after Lima and Quito. This meant that the money available was generously used for lavish new buildings and for funding the new art and culture that developed here. All the places included in “Colonial Cusco”, particularly those outside the city, can be visited in half day trips. Apart from the increasingly famous church of Andahuaylillas, the Andean Sistine Chapel 40 minute’s drive from the city, we have included places of particular historic and artistic significance that hardly ever get a mention in tourist guides. This is especially true of the three villages of Tupac Amaru II, the national heroe who shaped the future of Peru in the 18th Century. In this book you will find a Cusco that most tourists never get to see. It’s a Cusco seen in all the richness of its architectural heritage and the complexity of its powerful history. As a final point, we would like you to know that most of the information in this guide comes from our own research carried out in the last five years. It offers many new insights on this unique place. There is so much to see and discover in Cusco. Enjoy your stay!
Guide of History and Architecture
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
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History of colonial Cusco When the Spaniards arrived they heard stories of Cusco as a city covered with gold. When the new order was imposed the local population had to adapt. They were able to keep some of their traditions alive: like honouring the mountains under the image of a Catholic virgin.
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In November 1533 conquistador Francisco Pizarro arrived in Cusco. Previously, in the city of Cajamarca, he had murdered Emperor Atahualpa. To get here he had followed the Qhapaq Ñan, the huge Inca road system. From this moment on, it stopped serving the local Empire and began to bring the new culture in. Along its ways arrived the new religion, the
new masters, a new world order. In Cusco Pizarro met Manco Inca (Manco II), a half-brother of Atahualpa’s, who introduced himself to the Conquistadors. They were his only hope for revenge since Atahualpa’s troops had just killed another half-brother Huascar in a civil war. Manco had supported Huascar and feared for his life.
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his was a godsend for Pizarro, who could now enter Cusco with a legitimate reason. Atahualpa’s troops did not offer resistance and fled the city. Manco II was crowned Inca by the high priest Villac Umu in what today is the main square. This was the last time such an event ever happened, and the only time it was witnessed by European eyes. Spanish chronicler Miguel de Estete wrote that the ceremony included a parade of all the mummified bodies of the former rulers, beautifully dressed, put on litters and brought to the square, each with its retainers, pages and women with flywhisks. A city gets transformed With the arrival of the Spaniards, the palaces of the former Emperors, mostly placed around the main square, immediately changed hands. Pizarro took for himself and his brothers the palaces of Pachacutec. These were located on the side of the square where there is now an Inka Grill restaurant. Hernando de Soto was given the palace of Huayna Capac, the Amaru Cancha, where the Jesuit church, La Compañía stands. Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 11
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
History of colonial Cusco In 1534 Manco II tried to rule in earnest as a real Emperor. A declining social and cultural context, defined by the lust for gold of many of the foreigners, pushed him to abandon the city a year later. Only to be captured and imprisoned. He was released in January 1536. Unhappy with the situation, Manco II and the high-priest Villac Uma organized a counter-attack. Towards the end of April 1536 between 100,000 and 200,000 had been mobilized taking first the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. On May 6th Cusco was attacked and the thatched roofs of the buildings set on fire. The 190 Spanish soldiers based there retreated to two Inca palaces, the Suntur Huasi, actual church of El Triunfo, and the Hatun Cancha, accross the street. But they
The Lord of Tremors is the most venerated religious image in the city... silver, age? 12 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
managed to break out and recapture Sacsayhuaman by the end of May. The large numbers of Inca forces were no match for the techniques and weapons of the Spanish. Manco II retreated to the Inca town of Ollantaytambo, but deeming it too exposed he then retreated to the jungle (June 1537), establishing himself in Vitcos, in the Vilcabamba valley. The new religion With Diego de Almagro back from Chile, he took control of Cusco and in July 1537 gave the title of Inca to another half-brother of Manco II’s: Paullu, who had accompanied him to Chile. With the threat of rebellion out of the way the Conquistadors started to fight among themselves. The arrival of the first Viceroy in 1542 curbed the freedom of this raucous bunch and the administration and society were reorganized and transformed. The Catholic Church and the religious orders became the dominant factors in colonial life in Cusco. The Dominicans, Franciscans and Mercedarians were the first religious orders in settling there. Around 1550 the Augustinians arrived and twenty years later the Jesuits. In those days, three convents for women appeared: Santa Clara, Santa Catalina and Santa Teresa. Not only the Conquistadors but Imperial Inca descendants also donated money and lands to them. Catholic celebrations replaced the Inca ones, with Corpus Christi as the main one. Within 40 years after the Conquest, Corpus Christi had become the most important religious festival in Cusco. It was seen as the triumph of Christianity
The Lord of Tremors is the most venerated religious image in the city... silver, age? Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 13
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
History of colonial Cusco over the Inca Sun, but as the celebration replaced the former Inca festival of the summer solstice, Inti Raymi, Christian and Andean elements became mixed. What is interesting to notice is that colonial Cusco continued with its Inca traditions at the same places where the earlier ones took place, only under the appearance of Catholic rituals. The Cathedral was placed on the spot where one of the main Inca temples stood. The virgin nuns of Santa Catalina, whose main task was to embroider fine fabrics for the bishops, were set up on the place where Inca virgins dedicated their lives to embroider fine fabrics for the Incas (Acllahuasi). And the seminarists of San Antonio Abad studied in the former area of the Inca schools. Between 1550 and 1570 the Imperial ayllus or panacas, the royal families belonging to each of the Inca rulers, had been reassigned to other neighborhoods. This resulted in the formation of eight parishes of the Indians around the historic centre of Cusco. A new role for the Inca aristocracy Members of these families held important jobs, like first Mayor (Alcalde mayor), first Sheriff (Alguacil mayor) and had the right to wear the maskapaycha, the scarlet fringe of the Inca Emperor, during the celebrations of Corpus Christi and Santiago. In the 17th and 18th century Cusco became the artistic heart of Spanish South-America. The city was abundant with workshops of silversmiths, goldsmiths, sculptors, painters, carpenters, tailors and leatherworkers. They were all there suppl14 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
ying their work not only to churches and mansions of the nobles in Cusco, but also to cities as far as Lima and Buenos Aires. In the second half of the 17th century the descendants of Conquistadors became the colonial aristocracy, as they received noble titles. Most prominent were the Marqueses de San Lorenzo de Valle Umbroso. Others were the Marqueses de San Juan de Buenavista and Condes de La Laguna, all living in opulent mansions in the centre of Cusco. The production of textiles from wool was their main source of income. During the second half of the 18th century this renaissance comes to an end. Members of the Inca royal families became caciques, which where responsible for the local population, including the collection of taxes.
Bourbon Spain changes its policy towards its South American colonies. One act was the division of the Peruvian viceroyalty in three. First in 1717 the North was splitoff as the Viceroyalty of New Granada, the present day republics of Colombia, Ecuador, Panamรก and Venezuela. And with more consequences for Peru, in 1776 the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata was created, comprising of present day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. This meant that the Bolivian silver was not longer transported to Lima but to Buenos Aires instead and from there to Spain, crossing the Atlantic. This was a blow for the Peruvian economy (although for a part compensated by the discovery of silver in the mines of Cerro de Pasco, to the East of Lima).
These changes affected Cusco. Not only was the political division different, the colonial administration was modified in an attempt to extract more income out of the colonies. Due to free trade local markets opened to European cotton, and the textile industry collapsed in the last decades of the 18th century. Production dropped from 2.5 million meters in 1700 to less than 600,000 in 1800.
Watercolors from the 18th century depicting Indians working the wool, an important source of income.
Rebellions and Independence This led to increased discontent, first among the rural indigenous aristocracy as they lost income both ways – less trade and less income from taxes. Two main indigenous rebellions of the period were those of Tupac Amaru II and Mateo Pumacahua. During the Tupac Amaru rebellion in 1780 the Inca nobility supported the Spanish crown, as they knew their privileges were best safeguarded there, but they were punished nevertheless. They were forbidden to speak Quechua or to wear their traditional clothes but, mostly, they had to pay taxes. After rumors that they might be planning an insurrection the measures were annulled. But with the arrival of General Simón Bolívar (after Peru became independent in 1821), the indigenous nobility lost its privileges. This time for good. Ironically, it’s at this time when Cusco became a capital again. A de-facto one, as in December 1821 the last Viceroy, José de la Serna, set up court here after being chased out of Lima by Argentinean General San Martin. This lasted until October 1824, when the colonial period was finally over, in Cusco too. Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 15
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
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The architecture of colonial Cusco Although there are at least five different architectural styles in the city, the defining element will always be the juxtaposition of the foreign style with the remains of Inca structures. In doing this, they created a style not seen anywhere else in the Americas.
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The first Conquistadors and religious orders built their mansions and churches within the walls and on top of the palaces of the Inca emperors, around or close to the main square. With their arrival, a new period of expansion started. In the first decade after the conquest, in the 16th century, so-called Transition houses were built, especially around the Plaza del
Regocijo, formerly Cusipata. These transition houses are built with pre Hispanic techniques in a simplified Inca fashion. The stones fit each other perfectly, but the edges aren’t rounded, the walls don’t incline and the doorways are straight, with a single frame. They don’t use the double framed doors of the Inca period. A large single stone lintel is placed above the doorway.
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xamples of these buildings are the Casa de Silva, next to the Santa Teresa church and convent at the Parque de la Madre; the Casa Garcilaso de la Vega, on Cusipata and the corner of the House of the Serpents at the Plaza Nazarenas. Inca Cusco had an East-West orientation, from the temple of the Sun (Coricancha) at one end to the fortress of Sacsayhuaman at the other, and two canalized rivers: the Tullumayo at the northern side, and the Huatanay at the southern side defining its shape. Spanish Cusco started to grow from the main square towards the present Plaza of San Francisco, giving the colonial city a North-South orientation. The transformation begins This is where the main churches were built and where the most important Conquistadors and their descendants built their two-storied mansions, using and reusing Inca structures and their building material. The Spanish converted the Inca canchas (huge enclosed squares), into colonial casonas, conserving the dimensions of the former. Originally, Inca Cusco had one large square that included today’s Plaza Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 17
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
The architecture of colonial Cusco
Example of Transition-style building, with a large single stone lintel above the doorway. On: Limacpampa Chico 400.
de Armas (Huaycapata), the Plaza del Regocijo (Cusipata) and the Plaza San Francisco. The canalized Huatanay river ran through the middle of the square. In 1555 a decision was taken to cover the canal and build new buildings on top, splitting the square in two - a division we still see today. Even though the early colonial mansions are huge, they have only one doorway to the street, in a manner that resembles Inca architecture. The door gives access to the entryway (zagu谩n) which leads to the courtyard around which the rooms are located. Very often these rooms have only access to the courtyard and are not connected with each other; a continuation of the Inca practice. The building material is the same as in the Inca period: stone and adobe (unbaked 18 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
mud). The stone is often reused from Inca constructions or taken from Inca sites, especially the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. Bricks were only used in arches and the vaulted roofs of churches and the wood used in floors, roofs and altars is in general cedar wood, sometimes alder and willow, mainly coming from the edge of the jungle in Paucartambo and Marcapata. The new styles After the early period of transition houses, the Plateresque style (Plateresco in Spanish) becomes fashionable. This typical Spanish style dates from the reign of King Fernando of Arag贸n and Queen Isabel of Castille, whose marriage united most part of the Iberian Peninsula, and is placed in time between gothic and renaissance. Main characteristics of the plateresque
style are its gothic base, dividing faรงades in three bodies (unlike renaissance which used only two), to which an abundance of moorish (mudejar) decorative elements are added as are coat of arms and pinnacles. The best example of the plateresque style is the Casa del Almirante, immediately to the left behind the Cathedral, if you walk up the small street alongside this building. Apart from plateresque two other styles were in use during this period: Renaissance and Mannerist. They are best recognizable in the doorways. The renaissance style is the most sober: the With the rebuilding of Cusco after 1650 came a new style: the Cusco Baroque, which included indigenous elements inspired in the local flora and fauna
doorway covers only the ground floor and has in general pilasters (flat pillars) on both sides topped by a lintel of two or three bodies with a stone cornice. Impressive mannerist faรงades can be found in the house of the Marqueses de San Lorenzo de Valle Umbroso and a mansion in Zeta Street, to the left of the convent of Santo Domingo. The Arab presence Another style that is typical for the 16th and early 17th century in Peru is Mudejar, which combines renaissance style with Arab-influenced geometrical, flower and fruit motives. A typical feature of these early colonial mansions is the little diagonal corner balcony, supported by one or two columns with an arch and identified with the
Above: Plateresque, on Arequipa 251. Mannerist, on Zetas 109, and Renaissance, on Limacpampa Chico 473. Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 19
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
The architecture of colonial Cusco Arab word ajimez. They have either an interior balcony like the Casa del Almirante or an exterior one, like the Palace of the Archbishop. March 31st 1650 was a crucial moment for Cusco architecture, as a huge earthquake devastated a large part of the city. With the rebuilding came a new style: the Cusco Baroque, or a baroque with indigenous influence - like the Cusco School of painting - where indigenous artists, many of noble Inca origin, reinterpreted European religious and artistic concepts. While the period 1535-1650 was dominated by a Spanish-European style, now a mestizo style takes over, especially visible in the decorations based on Andean flora and fauna. This was also possible because
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The unusual corner balcony is a typical feature of the colonial mansions in the 16th century. It is called the Ajimez, in reference to its Moorish origin
MercedarianOrder.Thefaçadesofthemansions from this period show abundance in decoration inspired in local flora and fauna , with the wooden doors and balconies decorated in high and low relief. But the political and administrative changes of the last decade of the 18th century resulted in less trade, and in Cusco becoming a backwater instead of a vital stop on the commercial routes. Combined with the battles for independence which demanded a high financial toll, the city went into decline.
LaCus site que adigendunt adit ab idus.Gia ipsamendit, solum etur?Ficid quam lame vid expliquid. ipsamendit, solum etur?Ficid quam lame vid expliquid.
of the large number of artisans living and working in Cusco and stimulated especially by Bishop Manuel de Mollinedo y Angulo (1643-1699), who arrived in 1673. An Inca renaissance The period 1650-1780 is fascinating for there is a blossoming of the arts in Cusco. During this time not only the Spanish colonial aristocracy shows off its wealth and splendor. The Inca nobles are responsible for what is described as an Incan renaissance, displayed in art, architecture and literature. The best examples of the baroque style are the church of the Jesuits on the main square, and the church and convent of the
Politics and buildings In architecture, the change in fortunes is clearly visible, as mansions were not built anymore with stone arches around the patios but with stone pillars (in the best cases), or wooden pillars supporting the second floor. An arch replaced the stone lintel of the doorway. The style is Neoclassical, also called Republican in Peru, straight lines with an austere design. Already in the 18th century the large mansions become subdivided. The family only occupies the first courtyard and the second one is rented out to shops and artisans. This is a process that takes on a huge scale in the 19th century, leading to a splitting up of the properties in smaller units in general for poor families. In the early 20th century houses with courtyards are out of fashion and the new elite built chalets on Avenida Pardo and its side streets. The historic centre of Cusco falls even more in decline. The earthquake of 1950 destroys large part of the areas around San Pedro, Santiago and BelĂŠn, now the poorest parts of downtown Cusco. Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 21
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
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Around the Plaza de Armas This was also the place for the main Inca square. The existing plaza dates from colonial times and is one third the size of the original one. Unlike other main squares of the Spanish era, where the governing power had its main building, here only the religious buildings remain.
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Although the commercial activity around the square is now focused on tourists, the names of the streets around it remind us of the original colonial trades: left of the Cathedral is the Portal de Carnes (where meat was sold), then the Portal de Harina (flour) and Portal de Panes (bakeries). On the other side of the square you will find Confituría (sweet shops) Comercio
(imported goods from Spain were sold), and the former Portal de Sastres (tailors), now called Portal de la Compañia or de la Universidad. Two dreams of an independent Inca state ended on the main square of Cusco; in 1572 Tupac Amaru I, the last ruler of the Vilcabamba area, was executed here and around 200 years later his namesake, Tupac Amaru II, was quartered.
3 1
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(1) Cathedral (2) Church of El Triunfo (3) Church of Jesús, María and José (4) Church of the Jesuits
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(5) University of San Antonio Abad (6) Church and Convent of Santa Catalina (7) Casa Concha (Machu Picchu Museum
Around the Plaza de Armas
Cathedral The complex consists of three buildings: the Cathedral itself, the church of JosĂŠ, MarĂa y Jose, and El Triunfo.
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n 1534 the Conquistadors decided to erect their main church on the site of the Quishuar Cancha, which was not only the palace of Inca Emperor Virachoca but also the temple of the god Tecse-Illa, the supreme creator. Pope Paul III created the diocese of Cusco in 1536 and Vicente de Valverde was made its first bishop a year later. The first stone of the building was laid in 1560 and in 1584 architect Francisco Becerra designed a new and grander Cathedral with five naves, just like the one in Lima. Took 100 years to build This plan was modified in 1603 and work started in 1644, using the labor of many indigenous craftsmen and the stones from the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The earthquake of 1650 led to damage and displacements in the vaults of the severies and the arches. The Cathedral was provisionally finished in 1654, and five years later it was officially blessed and consecrated.
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Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 25
Around the Plaza de Armas
cathedral
The BUILDING is shaped like a Latin cross with three central naves and two lateral ones and five collateral chapels. The walls are made of ashlars on solid foundations of large stones. The facade is comprised of three bodies: the main entrance and two lateral ones, in Plateresque style. Inside, the 14 columns and 21 arches are made of carved stones. The transept connects with the churches of El Triunfo and Jesús, Maria y José, which are located on either side of the Cathedral. The retrochoir of cedar wood is located in front of the central nave, and the ambulatory at the back. The neoclassical main altar is dedicated to the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, nicknamed La Linda. The altar is made of cedar wood and completely covered in embossed silver. The Cathedral is home to the most important image of Christ in Cusco: the much venerated Lord of Tremors. Don’t miss the painting of The Last Supper, by indigenous artist Marcos Zapata (see next). In an unusual sign of artistic independence it contains a guinea pig as the central dish.
Opening times Monday till Sunday from 10 am till 6 pm. Admission: 25 soles.
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MARCOS ZAPATA (ca. 1710-1773) was an indigenous painter from Cusco, active between 1748 and 1765. Not to be confused with Marcos Sapaca, another indigenous painter, who was active as of 1764. Zapata´s main works are a series on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, which can now be found in the Capuchin monastery of Santiago de Chile, a series of the Lauretana Litany for the Cathedral of Cusco, which includes the Last Supper, and a series on the life of Ignatius of Loyola for the Jesuit church in Cusco.
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Around the Plaza de Armas
Church of El Triunfo
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The church in Baroque style has three naves. There are six altars made of cedar wood and covered in gold-leaf. The main altar is made out of granite and covered partially in gold-leaf. The upper part contains the Virgin of the Descent and the Cross of the Conquest is kept in the lower part.
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he first mass ever held in Cusco took place on November 16th 1533 in the Suntur Huasi, an Inca temple, at the main square of Cusco. When Manco II started his attack on the city in 1536 the 190 Spanish soldiers hid here. According to legend the Virgin descended from heaven to assist the Conquistadors in their hour of need as did the apostle Santiago. And the severely outnumbered Spanish indeed managed to defeat the superior force of the Indians. The main church of Cusco - until the Cathedral was finished – was built here and named after this El Triunfo. The original church was completely destroyed in 1650. The construction of the present building started in 1723 and it was inaugurated in 1735.
Vicente de Valverde (1498-1541) became the first bishop of Cusco in 1536 and, by extension, of South America. He was a Dominican who travelled with Pizarro and was instrumental in bringing down the Inca Empire: when Emperor Atahualpa threw away the Bible offered to him by Valverde, it gave the invaders an excuse. He baptised Atahualpa just before his execution.
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Around the Plaza de Armas
Church of JesĂşs, Maria and JosĂŠ
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he church, also called the Holy Family, is located to the left of the Cathedral and was built over the Inca ceremonial area called Unu Punqu. The first stone was laid in 1723 and the inauguration took place in 1729.
The church has a Renaissance style entrance. Instead of a tower, at both ends of the upper level there are two bell-gables, with three bells each. In between, three niches carry images of the Holy Family. 30 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 31
Around the Plaza de Armas
Church of the Jesuits (La CompaĂąĂa) In the 18th Century this building was already considered the most beautiful baroque building in South America.
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he Jesuits were the last of the important religious orders to arrive in Cusco, in 1570. They bought part of the former palace of Huayna Capac, the Amaru Cancha. This palace had been given to Hernando de Soto in 1534, but it was divided in two when he left to discover Florida. The front part became the property of Hernando Pizarro, a brother of Francisco, and the back of the conquistadors Mansio Serra de Leguisamo and Alonso de Mazuelas y Altamirano. The Jesuits bought the front part and built a church and college with stones taken from the fortress of Sacsayhuaman and the free labor of many Indians. The earthquake of 1650 destroyed the buildings, which were rebuilt closer to the square, leading to criticism from the priests of the Cathedral who, according to legend, wanted it down as they 32 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 33
Around the Plaza de Armas
Church of the Jesuits (La CompaĂąĂa)
were not very keen on competition. The church was inaugurated in 1668. Although they were the last of the main religious orders to arrive in these lands, very soon the Jesuits became one of the wealthiest, having the largest and best managed plantations, and focusing their work on education. They also became increasingly powerful and this led to problems with the crown. In 1767 they were expelled from Spain and its colonies. In 1871 the Jesuits returned to Peru. Opening times: Monday till Saturday 8 till 11 am and 1 till 5 pm, Sunday 9 till 10.30 am and 1 till 5 pm. Costs 10 soles. 34 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
Jesuits tried to make a point by giving this building an exceptional height and beauty. The exquisite level of craftsmanship seen on the front shows their philosophy that heaven could be reached through the arts. The main entrance is Cusco Baroque with three bodies and six columns, three on either side. The main altar is made of carved wood and covered in gold-leaf. To the left they built the Chapel of Loreto or of the Indios, later renamed Lourdes, and to the right the Chapel of San Ignacio de Loyola, now used for exhibition of handicrafts.
Many details show the influence of the new land, using Andean flora and fauna and local human features.
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Around the Plaza de Armas
Church of the Jesuits (La Compañía)
Here you find one of the most interesting of all images in Cusco. In 1690 the paintings commemorating four weddings were hung in the church. They can be seen just after the main entrance and they are attributed to Marcos Zapata. The one on the left is the one with more historic importance as it shows the formation of an Inca-Jesuit dynasty. Weddings and alliances. The painting depicts (apocryphally) the wedding in 1576 of Beatriz Clara Coya, the only child of Sayri Tupac, successor of Emperor Manco II, with conquistador Don Martin Garcia Oñez de Loyola, a nephew of the founder of the Jesuit order, Saint Ignatius of Loyola. They had one child: Doña Ana Maria Lorenza de Loyola y Coya-Inca, who became the first Marquesa of Santiago de Oropesa in 1614. Around 1610 she married Don Juan Enriquez de Almansa y Borja, fifth Marqués of Alcañices and a grandson of San Francisco de Borja, the third leader of the Jesuits (more on page...).
Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 37
Around the Plaza de Armas
University of San Antonio Abad
The façade of the17 century building resembles that of a church . It is next to La Compañía.
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he Jesuits created the “Universidad Real y Pontificia de San Ignacio de Loyola” in 1622, which was inaugurated in 1623. It was housed to the right part of the Amaru Cancha, the former palace of Huayna Capac. The huge entrance of carved stone is called College of the Transfiguration, located next to the Chapel of San Ignacio. Liberator Simon Bolivar was in Cusco in 1825 after his generals defeated the last The building has one large Spanish royalist troops in the final Battle of cloister surrounded by different Ayacucho in 1824. He secularized San Anrooms and is reached through the tonio Abad and merged it with the college College of the Transition. At the of San Bernardo to create a new College of back, on the left, is the Chapter room. In the earthquake of 1950 the Sciences and Arts. arches and balconies of the PorAfter Bolivar left opinion about him rapidly tal de la Compañia lining the main changed and San Antonio Abad was restituted square were destroyed. The huge in 1828. In 1863 the College of Sciences and Arts wall on the right which bordered moved to a new building to the left of the San the Avenida del Sol was demolished Francisco Church, where it still is, and in 1867 then and rebuilt more to the left to the University of San Antonio Abad moved to widen the avenue. the premises of the former Jesuit one. The Law Faculty is still located here. 38 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 39
Around the Plaza de Armas
Church and Convent of Santa Catalina
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he Convent of Santa Catalina was founded in Cusco in 1601 by Lucia Isabel Rivera de Padilla, a nun in the monastery of Santa Catalina de Sena in the city of Arequipa, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1604. She moved here with 25 nuns. They were first lodged in some houses in the southern part of the former Acllahuasi, where the Virgins of the Sun lived a secluded existence, making the clothes for the Inca emperors. Bishop Fernando de Mendoza bought the former Acllahuasi in 1606 to build a
The Inca foundations and walls were used as a base for the colonial construction. Unlike most churches, convent churches have no side naves. It has two entrances, one at the small square in front and one on the street. Originally, the church had a Plateresque altar and after the rebuilding of 1651 the current baroque one was installed, all covered in gold-leaf. It is an overwhelming view, the grand altar inside the secluded place.
cloistered convent for them. Interestingly, these cloistered nuns of Santa Catalina, belonging to the best families in town, led the same existence as the chosen Virgins of the Incas did before them, only now embroidering the clothes of the high church officials. The severe exterior of the complex marks a strong contrast with the interior of the church and the convent, which is one of the most surprising museums in Cusco. The walls of the church are adorned with a series of paintings depicting the life of Saint Catherine of Siena by local artist Juan Espinosa de los Monteros, from around 1670. All scenes are surrounded by flower garlands. The monumental chapterhouse of the convent is abundantly decorated with mural paintings attributed to Tadeo Escalante, one of the last Cusco school painters, who was active around 1800. Opening times: Monday till Saturday 8.30 am till 5.30 pm, Sunday 2 till 5 pm. Admission: 8 soles 40 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
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Around the Plaza de Armas
Casa Concha
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Calle Santa Catalina Ancha 320
A poignant contrast between the simple and strong lower Inca stone walls and the upper light and florid balcony.
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he area where the colonial mansion stands was part of the huge Puca Marca palace of Emperor Tupac Yupanqui. If the present Scotia Bank office, on calle Maruri, is considered to be the front of the palace then this part was the back of the original structure. In 1534 conquistador Pedro del Barco became the new owner of the building. (See also Casa del Barco). During the 16th and 17th century the huge property must have been split up.
Around 1810-1820 Basque-born Manuel Plácido Berriozábal y Beytia (17751850), Oidor del Cusco y de Lima, and his aristocratic Cusqueña wife Doña Maria Manuela Álvarez de Foronda y Mendive, 4th Marquesa de Casa Jara, 4th Condesa de Valle Hermoso and 12th Condesa de Casa Palma, lived in the house. After the Independence they moved to Spain, where Berriozábal became a senator in 1837. Around 1825-1830 the house was owned by colonel Martin Gabino Concha y Cámara, member of a prominent CusqueColonial Splendor of Cusco / 43
Around the Plaza de Armas
Calle Santa Catalina Ancha 320
Casa Concha
The house has one of the most elaborate balconies in the city. (Right) Several eligious murals adorned the walls.
Parts of the outer and inner walls consist of Inca stonework. The mansion has four courtyards and is two-stories high. The balcony on the street side is Baroque and the remains of the mural paintings from the 18th century depicting fruit, flowers and birds have been beautifully restored, which can be seen for instance in the passageway between the first and second courtyard.
Ăąo family with a traceable descent from Emperor Huayna Capac. The house is named after him, although it is now wrongly attributed to the first MarquĂŠs de Casa Concha, who lived in Lima in the 18th century and never set foot in Cusco. During the remainder of the 19th century and the 20th century occupants changed frequently and the house lost its residential function, becoming a prison, barracks and finally a police station. In 2001 then interim president of Peru, ValentĂn Paniagua, born in Cusco, had 44 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
the building turned over to the University of San Antonio Abad. After an extensive restoration the mansion now houses the Yale Collection of artifacts that American explorer Hiram Bingham had found in Machu Picchu in 1911, and brought to United States. They were returned to Peru in 2011 and 2012. Opening times: Monday till Saturday 9 am till 5 pm. Admission: 20 soles.
Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 45
Colonial Splendor of Cusco
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Around Regocijo Square This is one of the most interesting of routes, given the variety of its buildings. You can see the full splendor of the baroque period at La Merced; the house of the first writer in the Americas; the Town Hall, and some of the most unique private mansions.
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Originally, the Imperial capital had one huge square of which today’s Plaza de Armas (Huaycapata), Plaza del Regocijo (Cusipata) and Plaza San Francisco are the remains. The canalized Huatanay River, one of the two rivers that crossed the city, ran through the middle. In 1555 the canal was covered, splitting the grand square in two, creating
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the Plaza de Armas and Plaza del Regocijo. In the colonial period the Plaza del Regocijo was used for markets and bull fights. It was reduced in half in 1699 with the construction of the Casa de la Moneda, which was replaced by the neocolonial Hotel de Turistas in 1938, designed by well-known Peruvian architect Emilio Harth-TerrĂŠ.
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(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Church and Convent of La Merced Casa Garcilaso de la Vega (Museum of Regional History Casa Peralta (formerly casa del truco) Town Hall Casa Picoaga (formerly Corral de Comedias, Hotel Costa del Sol
, (6) Casa Ugarte 8Casa Qoriq ente) (7) Casa Artaza (Aranwa Hotel), (8) Church and Convent of Santa Teresa, (9) Casa de Silva, (10) Casa de las Seis Pumas (Andean Wings Boutique Hotel), (11) Colegio de San Bernardo
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Around Regocijo Square
Church and Convent of La Merced A building linked to the first years of the Conquest: it was built with the spoils of the main Inca temple and here is buried one of the main Conquistadors
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his is one of the best examples of Cusco baroque. The convent was founded in 1535 on land that had been part of Cusipata square, given to the order as areward for their services in the evangelization of the natives. The construction was paid by their share of the riches they got from the the Coricancha (Sun) temple: gold, silver and precious stones. Furthermore, the main conquistadors Diego de Almagro and Francisco Pizarro made large donations as did Inca Cayo Topa, nephew of Emperor Huayna Capac.
Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 49
Around Regocijo Square
Calle Heladeros s/n
Church and Convent of La Merced
The building was exquisitely restored by the Spanish cooperation, bringing to life this master-piece of the baroque.
The church and first cloister were finished in 1538. Diego de Almagro el Viejo, his son Diego de Almagro el Mozo and Gonzalo Pizarro, brother of Francisco, are buried here. The buildings were destroyed in 1650 and the reconstruction was finished in 1675. The complex was again damaged by the earthquakes of 1950 and 1986, after which an extensive restoration took place by the Instituto National de Cultura (INC) and the Spanish Cooperation (AECID). During the restoration part of the complex was converted into a museum. It is particularly worth-seeing the beautifully carved columns. Opening times: Monday till Sunday 8 till 12.30 am and 2 till 5.30 pm. Costs 6 soles. 50 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
Diego de Almagro (ca. 1475-1538) accompanied Francisco Pizarro in the conquest of Peru. He was the first European explorer of the area south of Lake Titicaca, but finding no gold returned disappointed to Cusco which he contested in 1537. This started a civil war between the Pizarro brothers and Almagro and his followers. Almagro lost and was decapitated in Cusco. With a Panamanian woman he had a son, Diego de Almagro el Mozo. His followers murdered Francisco Pizarro in 1541 in Lima, after which the son was captured and executed in Cusco in 1542.
The church has three naves with six lateral arches, three on either side, and 13 altars. The main one is neoclassical and the others baroque. Noteworthy are the altars of San Pedro Nolasco and the Virgin de la Soledad. The main cloister of the convent was built between 1651 and 1663 and has a square floor plan with galleries on two levels, with round arches and cushioned pillars topped by Corinthian columns. The access to the second floor is by two Imperial staircases, the main one with one flight up and two down. Mercedarian priest Francisco de Salamanca (1660-1737) had his very particular cell under one of the staircases. The walls and vaults are decorated with magnificent Cusco School murals depicting allegories and the life of Christ, attributed to Tadeo Escalante, one of the last Cusco School painters who lived around 1800. Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 51
Around Regocijo Square
Calle Heladeros s/n
Casa Garcilaso de la Vega (Museum of Regional History)
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ebastian Garcilaso de la Vega (1507-1559) arrived in Peru in 1534 following news of the fabulous wealth that had been discovered here by Francisco Pizarro. He got hold of the area at the far end of Cusipata, where he built his mansion on an Inca andĂŠn (terrace with stone containing wall used for agriculture), now located on the corner of the streets Garcilazo (formerly Coca) and Heladeros. Garcilaso de la Vega became Corregidor of Cusco in 1554. 52 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
The mansion has a façade in two layers: at the front, a loggia-style gallery with arches with behind it a Transition-style entrance. The arches were built using Inca stones. For many years the gallery remained hidden behind a wall. The balcony is a 19th century addition. Inside, the wooden balconies offer a more intimate experience of the place.
The museum shows pre-Hispanic and colonial art.
Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (1539-1616) is one of the most well-known chroniclers of the conquest of Peru, being half Spanish and half Inca. He moved in 1560 to Spain, where he wrote his “Comentarios Reales de los Incas” between 1586 and 1608. They were already published in 1609 and made a big impact on the public opinion in the colonial period. His work is the first and only chronicle written by a direct Inca descendant, and contains invaluable information on this culture.
A Corregidor was appointed by the Crown and was responsible for administrating justice and collecting taxes. It is believed that his concubine, Isabel Chimpu Ocllo, granddaughter of Emperor Tupac Yupanqui, gave birth here to their son Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, better known as Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (1539-1616). Inca Garcilaso was the first mestizo intellectual in the Americas, and he lived in the house until he moved to Spain in 1560. In 1625 the mansion belonged to Fran-
cisco de Valverde y Maldonado (15841651), a grand nephew of Vicente de Valverde, the first bishop of Cusco. His descendants possessed the house till the middle of the 18th century, after which several different owners succeed each other. The building houses the museum of Regional History since 1946. Opening times: Tuesday till Sunday 8 am till 5 pm. Can only be visited with the Boleto Turistico. Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 53
Around Regocijo Square
Calle Garcilaso 210 on the corner with Calle Heladeros
Casa Peralta (formerly Casa del Truco)
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onquistador Alonso de Mesa (1514-1587), one of the youngest members of Pizarro´s expedition, received this area as a reward for sharing the adventure. In time he amassed one of the largest fortunes in town, and in 1554 he married Inca noblewoman Catalina Huaco Ocllo. In 1623 the house became part of the Mayorazgo Salas ValdÊs and was rented out (more on the Salas ValdÊs family in the House of the Six Pumas, on page ...). In the second half of the 18th century it seems the place had become a gambling establishment, having two rooms with tables for a ball game called truco, hence the name. Through inheritance the house passed to the Peralta family and was sold in the beginning of the 19th century
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to a Mariano Pacheco. After him the building had many different owners and functions. The property is now subdivided in several shops that line the streets, one of which on Heladeros Street leads to the Choco Museum and well-known restaurant Chicha. The corner still has the Transition-type stonework. The interior boasts a large courtyard with a fountain in the middle surrounded by a garden with a low fence, typical for the 19th century. The ground level has stone arches on the front and back sides, the upper level has a closed balcony facing the entrance on Garcilaso Street. A second and third courtyard is found behind the first one, parallel to Heladeros Street.
Around Regocijo Square
Plaza Regocijo s/n
Town Hall
Spanish rules stipulated that the building of the political power had to be on the main square. Cusco is an exception.
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he Town Hall of Cusco was designated in 1534 to be built on the place of a large structure on an andĂŠn called Ochullo at the end of the main square between a palace of Pachacutec and the Quishuar Cancha. In 1549 the construction was under way and finished a year later. However, in 1572 Viceroy Francisco de Toledo ordered to buy the former houses of Corregidor Alonso de Hinojosa at the Plaza de Regocijo to build a new town hall and prison on that location, the present one. However according to chronicler BernabĂŠ Cobo the town hall still functioned at the main square in 1610. A small monument in the first courtyard commemorates the passing of the
The present Town Hall was remodeled around 1935: arches from the demolished Convent of San Agustin were probably used and the main entrance was changed to neo-Peruvian style. The town hall has several courtyards, the main one has a fountain in the middle, and there are two secondary courtyards. last member of the Tupac Amaru family, Juan Bautista, a half brother of Tupac Amaru II, who died in exile in Buenos Aires in 1827. He was buried at La Recoleta cemetery there, in an unmarked common grave, a handful of earth was brought to Cusco. Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 55
Around Regocijo Square
Calle Santa Teresa 344
Casa de Picoaga (formerly Corral de Comedias)
The balance between the wider and bigger lower arches and the ligher upper ones create a pleasant perspective.
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he building immediately behind the Town Hall, on Santa Teresa Street, occupies the premises where a comedy hall was erected in 1622. This establishment lasted here until 1675, after that it is referred to as a ‘residence with a shop’. After several owners, the building becomes the home of royalist General Francisco de Picoaga y Arriola (17511815). He was executed during the rebellion of Mateo Pumacahua. His daughter, Mercedes Picoaga y Suárez and her husband Ramón Nadal, later occupied the house. Through inheritance the house passed on to the families Garmendia and Oliart. It now houses Hotel Costa del Sol Ramada. 56 / Colonial Splendor of Cusco
Most of the present building was constructed in the mid 18th century. The main courtyard is spacious and the harmonious movement created by the sequence of arches add character to the house and instill a sense of intimacy.
Around Regocijo Square
Calle San Juan de Dios 250
Casa Ugarte (Casa Qoriq’ente)
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his mansion was inhabited in the second half of the 17th century by the Alarcón family. After having several owners, it was bought around 1750 by Gabriel de Ugarte y Celiorigo (1701-1780). His mother was a descendant of Emperor Huayna Capac, and it is known they used this royal connection to become prominent members of society. His daughter, Juana de Ugarte y Gallegos, was even nicknamed La Coya, or The Princess. The Inca connection She lived in the house in the second half of the 18th century and was married to José Manuel Fernández Campero, Corregidor of Quispicanchis and Governor of Tucumán in Argentina. At the time of the rebellion of Tupac
Amaru II two of her brothers, Antonio and Gaspar, were exiled to Spain in 1780 due to their blood links with the Incas. Her son, Mariano Campero, was owner of the house in the first half of the 19th century. In 1835 he was one of the co-founders of the Sociedad de Beneficencia Pública of Cusco and minister of Foreign Affairs of the short-lived Peruvian-Bolivian Confederation of 1836-1839. The mansion housed an array of different functions: a gallery, a bar, a literary café, sushi bar and a trattoria, which all closed in 2014 when the property went into dispute. The Baroque style entrance is the main giveaway to the age of the building. It has a large courtyard.
Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 57
Around Regocijo Square
Calle San Juan de Dios 255
Casa Artaza (Hotel Aranwa)
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he first known owner of the mansion that now houses the Aranwa Cusco Hotel was Domingo de Artaza, Mayor of Cusco in 1573. In 1618 his granddaughters sold the house to priest Alonso P茅rez de Villarejo, Dean of the ecclesiastical council of the Cathedral. He was responsible for the baroque remodeling of the house. After that the property changes hands several times. In the late 19th century a Ram贸n Matto buys the property. He was Mayor of Cusco in 1862 and the father of
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one of the first female Peruvian writers, Clorinda Matto, who grew up here (more on her in the Villaminaya house, page). She and her brother sold the building in 1901. In the 20th century the property belonged to different prominent local families like the Vargas, Romainville and Diaz, until Alfredo Diaz Quintanilla, Mayor of Cusco 1964-1966, gave it in use to a political party. The house was bought from his heirs in 1996 to convert it into a hotel, which finally happened in 2005 after extensive restoration.
FALTA RETOCAR las dos fotos
The MAIN FEATURE of the façade are the two entrances built almost side by side. On the left is a stern, clean-lined entrance in Mannerist style, and next to it the Baroque one, with a more elaborate design, built in the 17th century. The mannerist entrance dates back to the 16th century, as do the murals in the front part of the house. The ones in black and blue tones at the entrance are Renaissance style, and depict amphoras and ornamental foliage with birds, while the ones upstairs depict mythological themes, from the Greek-Roman tradition. It’s remarkable that these murals have survived and offer an idea of the decorating taste of the times. The older entrance, on the left, leads to the hotel bar. The main entrance is the Baroque one, next to it. The balcony above is not centered on the doorway, probably as a sign of the changes the house experienced through time. Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 59
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Colonial Splendor of Cusco / 61
COLONIAL SPLENDOR OF CUSCO A guide to its history and architecture
Limaq Publishing SAC General Manager Ronald Elward Chief editor Javier Lizarzaburu Design José Blanco Print ... Press … Photography Alfredo Velarde Javier Lizarzaburu Ronald Elward Belmond Hotels (Palacio Nazarenas) Enrique Castro-Mendivil (PromPerú – Maras) Victor Manuel Chavez (PromPerú – Andahuaylillas) Renzo Giraldo (PromPerú - Santo Domingo, Maras) Fernando López (PromPerú - Santo Domingo) Pilar Olivares (PromPerú - Santo Domingo) Renzo Tasso (PromPerú - Santo Domingo) Gihan Tubbeh (PromPerú - Santo Domingo) Cesar Vega (PromPerú - Catedral)
ISBN: Depósito legal: All rights are reserved in accordance with D. Legal 882 (Law on the Rights of the Author). Any partial or complete reproduction of this work is forbidden without prior consent of the author. ©Limaq Publishing SAC, calle García Calderón 234 - 501, Miraflores, Lima First edition. Lima, ... 2014
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