Iglesia de la Recoleta (Peru) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iglesia de la Recoleta |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic |
| Location | |
| Location | Cuzco, Peru |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 1559 |
| Completed | 1601 |
The Iglesia de la Recoleta is a beautiful Catholic church located in Cuzco, Peru. It is a very old and important building in the city.
Since 1972, this church has been recognized as a Historical Monument of Peru. This means it's a special place that needs to be protected. Later, in 1983, the area around the church became part of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This shows how important the church and its surroundings are to the world's history and culture.
History of the Recoleta Church
Building the Church
The construction of the Iglesia de la Recoleta began a long time ago, in 1559. A priest named Father Francisco de Velasco started the project. A local person, Toribio de Bustamante, helped pay for it. The church was finally finished in 1601.
Right next to the church, a monastery was also built. This monastery had a small courtyard, called a cloister. It had brick arches supported by stone columns. This is where the religious people lived and studied.
Earthquakes and Repairs
Cuzco has experienced some big earthquakes. The 1650 earthquake caused a lot of damage to the church. It was a serious event that affected many buildings in the city.
Because of the damage, the church needed major repairs. On February 3, 1688, a local craftsman named Nicolás Huallpa hired Juan Tomás Tuyro Túpac. Juan Tomás was tasked with making 360 special stones called ashlars. These stones were used to rebuild the church's tower. Luckily, the 1950 earthquake did not cause much damage to the building.
