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Visiting The Cathedral in Cusco

By Ken Ingraham

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 10Feb2012
Word count: 545
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If you attend Spanish school in Cusco, one attraction that is extremely vital to visit is the Cathedral of Santo Domingo. This site is also commonly referred to as the Cusco Cathedral. It goes without saying that when you are not in your Spanish classes in Peru, you will definitely want to spend a great deal of time touring around the area and soaking in the culture. This amazing cathedral is a perfect place to visit to better understand the country's heritage.

The Cusco Cathedral is easy to find since it is on the Avenida de Sol, which is a main road in Cusco. This impressive building cannot be missed when you are touring through the city. It is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cusco. Next to the Cusco Cathedral, you will also find the Iglesa del Triunto. This building is important because it was the first Christian church to be built in the area.

What is interesting to note is that on the same site there was previously an Incan temple called Kiswarkancha. About 100 years before Spanish colonists came to the region, this palace was for Virachocha who was the ruler of the kingdom. After the conquistadors arrived in 1559, they replaced this ancient temple with this cathedral and built it at the foundation of Kiswarckancha. The new church took almost 100 years to complete and was finally finished in 1654.

The Cathedral of Santa Domingo and its Gothic- Renaissance style was designed by a conquistador named Juan Miguel de Veremendi. Obviously, the plan of the Spaniards was to get rid of the country's previous religions so that Christianity could to take over. They even took most of the cathedral's building materials from an Incan structure called Saqsaywaman. Further, the Incas were actually forced to work on this new religious building. While the Cusco Cathedral is shaped like a Latin cross, some Incan symbolism remained. In fact, a jaguar head adorns the door to the church, and the jaguar is an ancient religious icon.

In 1983, the Cusco Cathedral was listed as a UNSECO World Heritage Site. Not only is it a religious center, but also a lot of the colonial art from the city is kept there on display. Fascinating relics that are available to view including a wooden crucifix called the Black Christ. This relic is black from exposure to all the smoke and dust over the years. There is also the Maria Angola Bell, which is a huge bell on the Cathedral's right tower. Although this bell is cracked, it is still rung every so often. There is also stunning artwork from the Cusco school of Art, which was created by the Spanish to teach the Incans about art. Other notable works include the Christ's 12 Parables and the Vincente de Valverde.

When you attend Spanish school in Cusco, be sure to visit this amazing 16th century building. Not only will you be impressed by the art and architecture, but also you will learn a bit of history. Visiting this Cathedral will be one of the most memorable experiences that you take away from your time attending Spanish classes in Peru.

ECELA's Spanish school in Cusco, Peru is open 52 weeks per year, with class size never more than seven. Cultural activities and visits are an integral part of the Spanish language course in Peru.

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