- Address: Cusco Cathedral, Cusco, Peru (Plaza de Armas)
- Opening: 1654
- Architectural styles: Renaissance architecture, Baroque architecture, Gothic architecture
- Working hours: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00
- Entry fee: 30 new salts
The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cuzco is also called the Cathedral. It is located on the main square, called Plaza de Armas .
Description of the Cathedral in Cuzco
The massive structure of yellow-gray color has two powerful square towers and attracts with its splendor. The building is built in the late Gothic style, has elements of Baroque and Renaissance. Its height is about thirty-three meters. The temple has the form of a Latin cross and is a simple three-nave basilica. One of its main adornments are the pomposely made portals, the central one called the "Gate of Forgiveness" - the Puerta del Perdón. They are made in the traditional Indian style, which existed in Cusco in the eighteenth century.
The western tower, called Torre del Gospelio, has the largest bell in the whole city, which bears the name of Maria Angola. It was cast in 1659 and weighs almost six tons. Its ringing is heard within a radius of forty kilometers. The dome of the cathedral is held by fourteen cruciform columns made of andesite, and the ceiling is formed of twenty-four arch arches.
To the main building of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cusco adjoin a sacristy (sacristy), nine chapels and two churches - Triumph and the Holy Family. Temple Triumph is considered one of the oldest buildings in the city. It was founded in 1534, here kept the regalia of the emperors. This church is a real museum of the Conquest.
Interior decoration of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cuzco
In the temple there are two wooden carved altars and there is a silver massive altar. The walls of the church are decorated with paintings that are considered the best examples of painting in the "Cusco School". The most famous canvas is the Last Supper, performed by Marcos Zapat and written in 1753. It preserves the local traditions : before the apostles and Christ on the table is a national dish - kui (fried guinea pig), as well as Peruvian vegetables and fruits.
Chapels have rich decorative decoration and gilded carvings, as well as historical artifacts. In 1734 a "canopy" was made, which is also called "silver Jerusalem". The main parts of the relic are cast from silver, and the base is made of gilded carved wood. Baldahin is also used today during solemn ceremonies. There is also an image of the Virgin Mary, completely cast out of pure silver. Its height is about thirty centimeters. Nearby is the sculpture of the Holy Rose from Lima , she is considered the patroness of the country.
The main shrine of the temple is in the chapel of Senhora de los Temlobresa - this is an ancient wooden crucifix of the "Swarthy Christ". It was presented to the city by King Charles the Fifth in the middle of the eighteenth century. With this statue on the feast of the "Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem", pompous processions are performed annually. Over the past centuries, the face of the Savior was restored several times, so it acquired a black shade and features of the Indian population. The crown crowning the head of the sculpture is poured out of pure gold and weighs 1.3 kilograms.
Many archbishops and bishops are buried in the crypt, which is under the main altar of the cathedral. Also in the crypt, the Spanish conquistador Garcilaso de la Vega was buried. The door that closes the tomb is painted by an unknown artist who captured the scene of the terrible earthquake of 1650.
How to get to the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cuzco?
The city of Cusco can be reached by plane to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, and from there to the main square is only six kilometers away. Also close to the cathedral (within a one-and-a-half kilometer radius) is the railway station Estacion Wanchaq and the bus stop Estacion de Colectivos Cusco-Urubamba.
Cost of entrance to the Cathedral in Cuzco
The entrance to the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cusco is paid. The cost is thirty new salts and the same for a guided tour. For those who want to save money, we recommend using the Russian audio guide. You can also go to the temple on a single ticket, called Museo Palacio Arzobispal. Early in the morning, from six to eight o'clock in the church, mass is served and it is possible to enter the complex free of charge. Photographing at this time is prohibited, but there is an opportunity to listen to the organ and attend the service, which is conducted in two languages: Spanish and Quechua (the language of the Incas).
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