Santa Catalina Convent




Arequipa is unquestionably one of the prettiest cities in Peru. Founded in 1540 by the Spanish conquistadors, it is now home to just over one million people, making it the second largest city in Peru after Lima. Arequipa has a distinct look thanks to the white Sillar stone, mined from nearby volcanoes, and used in the construction of many of its buildings. A stand-out feature of the city is the stunning Terracotta building of the Santa Catalina Convent. This city within the city offers incredible insight into the lives of the nuns who have lived there since the Spanish invasion of Peru!
On the Santa Catalina Convent tour, we’ll head to the most famous attraction in Arequipa: the 16th-century Santa Catalina Convent. The convent opened to the public in 1970 after nearly 400 years as a cloister. For a nun to enter the monastery, they first had to prove their Spanish origin and pay a dowry of at least 1,000 gold pesos. Once inside, they were largely cut off from the world within the sprawling monastery, which is like a little town all of its own, with narrow streets, gardens, and different sections for sleeping, cooking, and prayer. The monastery covers an entire city block, and exploring its picturesque alleyways and rooms is quite an experience.
When the restoration of the Monastery began, before it opened to the public, a great collection of primarily religious paintings was found, some dating to the Viceroyalty of Peru. Some 400 works were restored, revealing influences from Italian and Spanish schools of art, as well as excellent examples of the Cusco School. The most important paintings are displayed in two immense rooms inside the monastery, with high vaults, in the shape of a cross, from which the plaster has been removed to reveal the sillar walls.
Would you like this tour as a private service?



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