Province of Arequipa - South American Destination

A.M. – 12:00 P.M. and 3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. Email: convento-larecoleta@terra.com.pe
A Franciscan convent founded in 1848, open to the public since 1978. It
features various styles that include Romantic and Neo-gothic styles due to its
different remodeling campaigns (the last one in 1940). It has four cloisters and
eleven sectors, as well as two pre-Colombian art rooms, two others dedicated to
the Amazon Rain Forest, and another to religious art. It also has a gallery
exhibiting canvasses from the Cusco and Arequipa Schools and a valuable library
that protects more than 20.000 volumes and ancient books.
Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo (Church and Convent of Santo
Domingo)
Intersection of Calle Santo Domingo and Calle Rivero. Telephone: (054) 21-
3511. Visiting hours: Mon. – Sat. 7:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. and 3:00 P.M. – 7:30
P.M. Sundays 5:45 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. and 6:30 P.M. – 7:45 P.M.
Architecturally, the church is characterized by a bell tower, its entrance with a
corner pedestal, and its impeccable arch under the choir loft. Inside, one can
appreciate paintings and other pieces of sacred art.It is also known for its side
entrance being the oldest in Arequipa. The upper cloister of the convent was
constructed around 1734.
Casa del Moral (Moral House)
Calle Moral 318, downtown Arequipa. Visiting hours: Mon. – Sat. 9:00 A.M. – 5:00
P.M. Holidays 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
An eighteenth century house, constituting one of the oldest and most important
architectural monuments from the Arequipa Baroque period. The house owes its
name to an ancient blackberry tree that grows in its main patio. Inside, furniture
from Peru’s Colonial and Republican epochs is on display. The main entrance of
white sillar stone is a work of art in which you can admire carefully carved
figures. For example, there is a crown suspended above a coat of arms that is
held up by two angels, the coat of arms is composed of tinier carvings of a
castle, a bird, a puma, and two crossed keys. In the same way, the room of
sixteenth century “antique” maps of America stands out.
Barrio de San Lázaro (Saint Lazarus neighborhood)
Five blocks from the Main Square, Arequipa.
This neighborhood of alleys, narrow passageways, small plazas, and large homes
is the most representative of old Arequipa. This place was established by
Dominican priests in 1538, who built a sanctuary to evangelize the natives of the
area and prepare the land to found a new Spanish city. The small bridge that
connects the Church of San Lázaro and its small plaza with the rest of the
quarter is worth a visit.
Casa Goyeneche (Goyeneche House)
Calle La Merced 201. Telephone: (054) 21-2251. Visiting hours: Mon. – Fri. 9:15
A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
This sixteenth century house of white sillar stone is completely designed in the
Colonial style. Prints from the Cusco and Arequipa Schools are preserved there
as well as sculptures from the Granada School of the seventeenth century. The
name comes from Mr. Juan de Goyeneche y Aguerreverre, who bought it in
1782. Presently, it is headquarters to the Central Reserve Bank of Peru in
Arequipa.
Iglesia San Agustín (Saint Augustine Church)
Intersection of Calle San Agustín and Calle Bolívar. Telephone: (054) 22-0066. Visiting
hours: Mon. – Sat. 8:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Sundays 8:00
A.M. – 1:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
Built in 1575, the church displays a façade that dates from the first half of the
eighteenth century and is considered one of the best of its time. In architectural terms,
it belongs to the mixed-origin Baroque and the main construction material is white sillar
stone. Inside, the main highlights are the dome, its Neoclassical altars, especially the
major one, for the precise carvings and gilding
Iglesia La Merced (Mercy Church)
Intersection of Calle La Merced and Calle Tristán. Telephone: (054) 21-3233.
Visiting hours: Mon. – Fri. 8:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
Saturdays 8:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
Its construction began in 1551 and was completed in 1607. It has an attractive
side entrance, which features the image of the Virgin of Mercy accompanied by
two saints of mercy. Important works of art like the “Aparición de la Virgen a
San Pedro Nolasco” (Saint Peter Nolasco Recovering the Image of the Virgin) are
preserved in its sacristy as well as a series of paintings related to the Virgin de
la Merced in the main hall. The church and the convent, the latter constructed in
the city, were built using the white sillar stone from Arequipa. The cloister
maintains a library that dates back to the Vice royal period.
Casa Tristán del Pozo (Tristán del Pozo house)
Calle San Francisco 108. Telephone: (054) 21-2209. Visiting hours: Mon. – Fri. 9:15
A.M. – 12:45 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Saturdays 9:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
This traditional, colonial house has a façade carved in mixed-origin Baroque. In
addition, it was made with wide, unique patios inside. It was built in 1738 for General
Domingo Tristán del Pozo. Today, it is the property of Banco Continental.
Museo Arqueológico de la Universidad de San Agustín
(University of San Agustín Archeological Museum)
Intersection of Calle Álvarez Thomas and Calle Palacio Viejo. Telephone: (054)
28-8881. Visiting hours: Mon. – Fri. 8:15 A.M. – 4:15 P.M.
A varied collection is exhibited here including stone items, bones from human
sacrifices, ceramic pieces from the Nasca, Tiahuanaco, Huari, and Inca, and
objects of gold and silver from the Colonial and Inca eras.
Museo de Arqueología de la Universidad Católica de Santa María de Arequipa
(University of Santa María de Arequipa Archeological Museum)
Calle Cruz Verde 303. Telephone: (054) 95-9636. Visiting hours: Mon. – Fri. 9:00
A.M. – 12:00 P.M. and 2:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
The museum has around 1000 pieces (ceramics, textiles, mummies, works of
stone, wood, and metal) from the different cultural groups that inhabited the
Department of Arequipa from 12.000 B.C. up to the time of the colony: Nasca,
Tiahuanaco, Wari, Churajón, Acarí, Aruni and Inca as well as transitional and
colonial materials.
Museo Santuarios Andinos de la Universidad Católica de Santa María
(Catholic University of Saint Mary)
Calle La Merced 110, downtown Arequipa. Telephone: (054) 21-5013. Visiting
hours: Mon. – Sat. 9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. Sundays 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
Here, they exhibit la Dama de Ampato (the Lady of Ampato), an Inca mummy of
a twelve to fourteen year old girl found at the top of the Ampato volcano by the
climber Miguel Zárate, the archeologist José Chávez, and the anthropologist
Johan Reinhard on September 8, 1995. According to the specialists, it is very
likely that the girl, whose remains were found frozen, died from a blow to the
temple from a five pointed granite mace. It seems that she was sacrificed to the
Ampato Apu (protector god) some 500 years ago.
Urbanización Selva Alegre (Selva Alegre suburb)
Considered the “garden of the city” for its large parks and huge trees that live in
harmony with the modern houses of the area, Selva Alegre was constructed as
a monument to Juan Pablo Vizcardo y Guzmán, fore runner of the Peruvian
independence. The Molino de Santa Catalina (Mill of Saint Kathleen) is another
site to visit, completely restored and located on the mall of this zone.
Yanahuara Lookout
2 km / 1 mile from downtown Arequipa (8 minutes by car)
It was built in the nineteenth century and is composed of a series of sillar stone
arches where the words of famous Arequipa citizens have been engraved. This
spot is a wonderful view point of the city and Mount Misti volcano.
City of Sabandia
8 km / 5 miles from Arequipa (20 minutes by car)
Wide terraces and three volcanoes, the Misti, the Chachani, and the Pichu Pichu,
provide the scenery around this traditional town. Some of the houses still
preserve characteristic styles of the Viceroyalty or of the nineteenth century
Republicanism. A recreational area with two swimming pools that use the cold
river waters of the surrounding region has been built.
Molino de Sabandía (Sabandía Mill)
Located in Sabandía
Constructed in 1785, it represents the typical architecture of the zone where the
use of sillar stone predominates. It is characterized by solid supports and rustic
balconies. Stone grinding wheel techniques for wheat processing can be viewed
here as well.
Mansión del Fundador (Founder’s Mansion)
9 km / 6 miles from Arequipa (15 minutes by car)