MUSEUMS OF CUSCO

Inca museum of the National University San Antonio Abad
Examples of pre-Hispanic objects, stonework, funeral metallurgy, pottery, textiles. Also paintings from colonial Cusco.

Museum of Santa Catalina Convent
A visit to The Chapter House. Exhibition of religious art.

Museum of the Convent of The Merced
Paintings of in the style of the Cusco school, 17th to 18th centuries, cloister of carved stone and other objects of religious arts.
Museum of the Archbishop's Palace
A collection of religious art.

Museum of the Temple of the Qoricancha
It exhibits pre-Hispanic objects from different areas of Cusco
Museum of Contemporary Art, Municipality of Cusco

Regional Historical Museum of the Institute National of Culture
A collection of objects of the pre-Inca period: pottery, paintings, metal, textiles. Also metal objects from the colonial period. An exhibition room with contemporary art.

Museum of Natural Sciences of the National University San Antonio Abad
Samples of flora and fauna coming from the region.

CHURCHS

The Cathedral
The first cathedral was built in 1539 in the "Suntur Wasi", and was known at the time as the church of victory. Later a new cathedral was constructed between the years 1560 and 1664 on the site of "Kiswar Kancha", the palace of Inca Wiraqocha. It was designed in the shape of a Latin cross. The facade is in the Renaissance style contrasting with the Baroque and Plateresque, and there are splendid interiors.
It has excelent examples of colonial goldsmith's work and woodcarving and a valuable collection of canvases in the style of the socalled Cusqueña school. On the sides, there are two auxiliary chapels, one of victory and the other of Jesús, Mary and Joseph.

The church of the Society of Jesus
Construction started on this church of the Jesuit order in 1576 at Amarukancha or the Palace of the Inca Huayna Qhapaq. It is considered the best example of colonial Baroque architecture in America. The facade, all of carved stones, is spectacular. In the interior there is a beautiful altar of gold, built over an underground chapel. The church also possesses a collection of sculptures and paintings, of the wedding of Saint Ignatius Loyola's cousin and a Ñusta of Inca stock.
Church and Convent of the Merced
Founded in 1536, the outstanding feature is its tower in the Baroque style. In its interio you can find Baroque Renaissance cloisters. The choir is decorated with chairs in the Baroque Plateresque style, numerous figures and paintings of colonial art. There is a monstrance of gold and beautiful stones that is 1.3 m. high and 22 kg. in weight, with a big pearl in the form of a siren, and it is considered the second biggest in the world.

The convent of Santo Domingo
The convent was built in the foundations of a monument of great importance for the Inca cult of the sun god, called "Inti". In the interior are enclosures with walls of fine polished stone. The chronicles affirm that they were covered with sheets of gold and silver, with idols and the representation of the sun. Its only tower is profusely carved in the Baroque style. Its interior possesses an excellent collection of paintings in the style of the Cusqueñas school.

The Temple of San Blas
Built in the old neighbourhood of "T'oqokachi" in 16th century. In the church you can see an extraordinary example of fine woodcarving in the Spanish churrigueresque style. The pulpit is carved in cedar wood. The main altar is Baroque.