Cusco - Cathedral

(Local Name: Catedral de Cusco) Construction on the Cusco Cathedral was begun in 1559 and completed in 1669, in the Renaissance style. It is built on the site where the Inca Wiracochas Palace once stood.

Adjoining the Cathedral is the church of El Triunfo to the right, and the church of Jesus Maria to the left.

The Cusco Cathedral houses an impressive collection of art work, with over 400 paintings from the Escuela Cusquena. These paintings from the 16th and 17th century are unique in that they are European style with an obvious Andean Indian influence. This can be seen for example, in The Last Supper by Marcos Zapata, which shows the apostles dining on guinea pig. Also of note in the Cathedral are the 400 kg main altar made from silver, the cedar choir stalls, and other wood carvings.

The Capilla del Triunfo houses the famous Alonso Cortes de Monroy painting of the 1650 earthquake that devastated Cusco.