Cusco Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cusco Cathedral |
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Spanish: Catedral Basílica de la Virgen de la Asunción del Cusco
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Main facade of the Cusco Cathedral.
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Year consecrated | 1668 |
| Location | |
| Location | Cusco, Peru |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Juan Miguel de Veramendi, Juan Correa, Miguel Gutiérrez Sencio, Francisco Becerra |
| Architectural type | Basilica |
| Architectural style | Renaissance, late Gothic, Baroque, Plateresque |
| Groundbreaking | 1249 |
| Completed | 1654 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | Southwest |
| Materials | Stone |
| Official name: City of Cusco | |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii, iv |
| Designated | 1983 (7th session) |
| Reference no. | 273 |
| State Party | Peru |
| Region | Latin America and the Caribbean |
The Cathedral of Cusco, also known as the Cathedral Basilica of the Virgin of the Assumption, is a very important church in the city of Cusco, Peru. It is the main church for the Catholic Church in Cusco.
This huge church, along with the Triunfo temple, forms the Cathedral Complex. It stands in the northeast part of Cusco's main square, the Plaza de Armas. Long ago, this spot was home to Inca buildings. These included the Suntor Wassi, which was like a government house, and the Kisoarkancha, a palace for the eighth Inca ruler, Viracocha.
The entire complex covers a large area of 3,920 square meters. It is the most significant religious building in the historic center of Cusco. Since 1972, it has been a Historical Monument of Peru. In 1983, the historic center of Cusco, including the Cathedral, was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
The Inca Palace: Kiswarkancha
Before the Spanish arrived, the Incas built a temple called Kiswarkancha on Cusco's main square. This was the palace of Viracocha, an Inca ruler who lived about 100 years before the Spanish colonists. The original name of the city, Qusqu, comes from the Aymara language. It means "Rock of the owl," linked to an old Inca story.
Near Kiswarkancha was the Suntur Wasi. This building was used to store weapons and important symbols for the Inca royal family. When the Spanish conquistadores came to Cusco, they decided to tear down the Inca temple. They wanted to build their Christian cathedral on this important site.
Building the Great Cathedral
The Cusco Cathedral was built over many years by different architects. The first church in Cusco was the Iglesia del Triunfo. It was built in 1539 on the site of Viracocha Inca's palace. Today, this church is a smaller chapel connected to the main Cathedral.
In 1538, Bishop Vicente Valverde ordered the start of a new cathedral. But this first attempt didn't get very far. The site was too small, so they tried to move it. They considered the old palace of Pachacuti and another area called Cusipata. However, these plans didn't work out.
Finally, in 1552, Bishop Juan Solano decided to buy the land next to the original site. This land was the old Kiswarkancha, Viracocha's palace.
Construction of the main Cathedral Basilica began in 1560 and lasted until 1664. Many architects worked on it over the years. Important names include Juan Miguel de Veramendi and Juan Correa. The work stopped for a while when Viceroy Francisco de Toledo arrived in Cusco around 1570. In 1615, Miguel Gutiérrez Sencio and Francisco Becerra took over. They finished the Cathedral in 1654.
In 1650, a big earthquake hit Cusco. It caused some damage to the Cathedral, but it mostly survived. The earthquake led to changes in the design of the facade and towers. This made the building look even stronger and more solid.
The first church service (mass) in the Cathedral was held on August 15, 1654. It was officially dedicated on August 19, 1668. The builders used stone from nearby areas. They also reused large red granite blocks from the ancient Inca fortress of Sacsayhuamán.
The Catholic Church recognized the building as a Basilica on February 8, 1928. The Cathedral has three main sections (naves) and a hall-like shape. It mixes different styles, like Gothic ribbed vaults with Renaissance and Baroque elements. This blend of styles is common in Latin American Baroque art. The famous image of the Lord of the Earthquakes is kept and honored here.
The Cathedral's outside looks Renaissance, while its inside shows Baroque, late-Gothic, and Plateresque styles. It has amazing colonial gold artwork and beautifully carved wooden altars. The Cathedral also displays many paintings from the famous Cusco School of art. This school was very important in colonial America.
Cathedral Architecture
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The Cathedral of Cusco shows a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles. These styles were popular in Spain when they conquered South America. You can also see Baroque influences on the facade facing the Plaza de Armas.
The Cathedral has a rectangular shape, like a basilica. It has three long sections called naves: the epistle nave, the gospel nave, and the central nave. These match the three doors on the front of the building. Inside, there are fourteen cross-shaped pillars. These pillars support twenty-four ribbed vaults, which are like arched ceilings. The largest vaults are at the entrance and where the naves cross.
These 24 vaults are held up by 21 stone arches and 32 semicircular arches. All these structures are made from andesite stone. This is a strong volcanic rock, similar to granite.
The naves have Gothic ribbed vaults. These are made of stone ribs that form patterns of circles and arches. The smaller chapels have simpler groin vaults.
The Incas also added some of their own religious symbols to the Cathedral. For example, a carved head of a jaguar is part of the cathedral doors. The jaguar was an important god or symbol in ancient Peru.
Famous Artworks
Much of the art inside the Cathedral comes from the Escuela Cuzqueña, or Cusco School of art. The Spanish created this school to teach Inca artists and their descendants European renaissance art methods. This school became famous across the Americas.
However, the Quechua painters were mostly limited to painting Christian and European scenes. They were often not allowed to sign their own work, so many pieces are by unknown artists. White criollo painters also took part. Here are some important artworks you can see:
- Painting of the Señor de los Temblores: This is a large painting from the 1600s. It shows the whole city of Cusco during the 1650 earthquake. You can see many people carrying a crucifix around the Plaza de Armas, praying for the shaking to stop.
- Vicente de Valverde: This is a portrait of the friar who became a bishop in Cusco. He traveled with Francisco Pizarro during the conquests.
- Christ's 12 Parables: This is a collection of paintings by the Quechuan artist Diego Quispe Tito. There were originally twelve paintings, finished in 1681. They showed the twelve months and zodiac signs, with parables (stories) from Jesus in the pictures.
The Church of Triumph
The Church of Triumph was built in 1538. This was just three years after the conquistadores settled in Cusco. It was built on the site of Suntur Wasi. This was an Inca ceremonial building next to Viracocha's palace. Today, the Church of Triumph is connected to the main Cathedral.
The church got its name from a story about the Spanish settlers in Cusco. At one point, the Spanish were surrounded by an Inca army led by Manko Inka. The Spanish made their last stand in the Suntur Wasi. Just when it seemed they would lose, the Spanish managed to push back the Incas.
The Catholic conquistadores believed this victory was a miracle. They said Saint James the Greater (the patron saint of Spain) came down from heaven to help them. This is why the church is called the Church of Triumph. Inside, there is a statue of Saint James on a horse, showing him defeating an Inca warrior.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral del Cuzco para niños
