The route of the Andean Baroque is made up of 4 temples: the Company of Jesus, the chapel of the Purified Virgin of Canincunca, San Juan Bautista de Huaro and San Pedro Apostle of Andahuaylillas. If you are a lover of art, architecture and history, this is the perfect tour for you.
WHAT IS THE ANDEAN BAROQUE?
The Andean Baroque is an artistic movement that was born in the Peruvian Andes during the Viceroyalty of Peru between 1680 and 1780. This artistic movement was integrated by mestizo and indigenous artists and focused on the architectural works of the churches. The evangelizing objective of the different religious missions generated this type of art mainly in territories such as Quito, Cusco, Arequipa and Puno.
The main characteristics of Andean baroque are the abundance of themes of the Andean cosmovision such as the sun and the moon, which were the two Inca gods. In addition, there are many decorations based on animals such as the puma, the snake, the vizcacha, among others. The Andean baroque is a mixture of religious themes and mythology of the Andean culture.
The Andean Baroque circuit:
The Andean Baroque route is a historical and artistic excursion promoted by the Society of Jesus. This circuit starts at the Temple of the Society of Jesus, in the city of Cusco. Then you visit the Church of San Pedro Apostle of Andahuaylillas, known as the Sistine Chapel of America. Finally, the circuit ends at the Chapel of the Purified Virgin of Canincunca.
Temple of the Company of Jesus:
The Andean Baroque Route begins at the Temple of the Society of Jesus located in Cusco’s Main Square. This temple was built in 1576 over the Inca temple Amaru Cancha. The facade is made of carved stone, has 2 large towers and 2 adjoining chapels, its altar is carved in wood and covered in gold leaf. The plant of the church is of Latin cross form and in its interior we can observe representative sculptures of the Andean baroque and paintings of the school cuzqueña.
Church of San Pedro Apostle of Andahuaylillas:
This temple is located 39 kilometers from the city of Cusco, it was built in 1610 on the initiative of the parish priest Juan Perez de Bocanegra. It is known as the Sistine Chapel of America due to the quality of the engravings on its ceiling. In its interior we can find paintings of the Cusquenian school and all are framed in gold leaf. Among the most outstanding works we can find the Baptism of Christ and the Virgin of the Rosary of the Cusquenian artist Diego Quispe Tito. This temple has two beautifully painted organs that are considered the oldest in Latin America.
Temple of San Juan Bautista de Huaro:
This temple is located in Huaro 43 kilometers from the city of Cusco and was built at the end of the 16th century. It has works of the Cusco school, most of them made by the Cusco painter Tadeo Escalante. Among his main works are the Holy Family, the scene of the Last Judgment and the mural of hell, all these paintings are characterized by covering all the walls and ceilings. Another important detail to highlight is that its walls and ceilings contain details in gold leaf.
Chapel of the Purified Virgin of Canincunca:
This Chapel is located over an ancient wari center, next to the Urcos lagoon, and was built in the 17th century. This chapel consists of a single nave, its walls are decorated with paintings with floral themes, animals and geometric designs.
In 1974, this church was recognized as Cultural Patrimony of the Nation due to its relevance to national history.