peru-8-cuzco-sacred-valley

colonial paintings of the escuela cuzqueña,
as well as an impressive collection of vestments
and other intricate embroidery. The
baroque side chapel features dramatic friezes,
and many life-sized (and sometimes startling)
models of nuns praying, sewing and
going about their lives. The convent also
houses 13 real, live contemplative nuns.
Templo y Convento de La Merced CHURCH
(Map p198; %23-1821; Mantas 121; admission S6;
h8am-noon & 2-5pm Mon-Sat) Cuzco’s third
most important colonial church, La Merced
was destroyed in the 1650 earthquake, but
was quickly rebuilt. To the left of the church,
at the back of a small courtyard, is the entrance
to the monastery and museum. Paintings
based on the life of San Pedro Nolasco,
who founded the order of La Merced in
Barcelona in 1218, hang on the walls of the
beautiful colonial cloister.
The church on the far side of the cloister
(h8-11am) contains the tombs of two of
the most famous conquistadors: Diego de
Almagro and Gonzalo Pizarro (brother of
Francisco). Also on the far side of the cloister
is a small religious museum that houses
vestments rumored to have belonged to
conquistador and friar Vicente de Valverde.
The museum’s most famous possession is a
priceless solid-gold monstrance, 1.2m high
and covered with rubies, emeralds and no
fewer than 1500 diamonds and 600 pearls.
Ask to see it if the display room is locked.
Museo Histórico Regional
MUSEUM
(Map p198; Calle Garcilaso at Heladeros; entry with
boleto turístico; h8am-5pm Tue-Sun) This eclectic
museum is housed in the colonial Casa
Garcilaso de la Vega, the house of the Inca-
Spanish chronicler who now lies buried in
the cathedral. The chronologically arranged
collection begins with arrowheads from the
Preceramic Period and continues with ceramics
and jewelry of the Wari, Pukara and
Inca cultures.
There is also a Nazca mummy, a few Inca
weavings, some small gold ornaments and a
strangely sinister scale model of the Plaza de
Armas. A big, helpful chart in the courtyard
outlines the timeline and characters of the
escuela cuzqueña.
Museo Municipal de Arte
Contemporáneo
MUSEUM
(Map p198; Plaza Regocijo; entry with boleto turístico;
h9am-6pm Mon-Sat) The small collection
of contemporary Andean art on display at
this museum in the municipality building is
really one for the fans. Museo Quijote has a
much better collection, putting a representative
range of Peru’s contemporary artists on
show, with interpretive information that
puts art in context with history.
FIglesia San Francisco
CHURCH
(Map p198; Plaza San Francisco; h6:30-8am &
5:30-8pm Mon-Sat, 6:30am-noon & 6:30-8pm
Sun) More austere than many of Cuzco’s
other churches, Iglesia San Francisco dates
from the 16th and 17th centuries and is one
of the few that didn’t need to be completely
reconstructed after the 1650 earthquake. It
has a large collection of colonial religious
paintings and a beautifully-carved cedar
choir.
The attached museum (admission S8;
h9am-noon & 3-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon Sat)
houses supposedly the largest painting in
South America, which measures 9m by 12m
and shows the family tree of St Francis of
Assisi, the founder of the order. Also of macabre
interest are the two crypts, which are
not totally underground. Inside are human
bones, some of which have been carefully arranged
in designs meant to remind visitors
of the transitory nature of life.
Museo de Arte Religioso
MUSEUM
(Map p198; cnr Hatunrumiyoc & Herrajes; admission
S15 or with boleto religioso; h8-11am & 3-6pm Mon-
Sat) Originally the palace of Inca Roca, the
foundations of this museum were converted
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley Sights Cuzco