The Cathedral

This early 17th century baroque cathedral houses a chapter house, a sacristy, ten lateral chapels and is linked to the Churches of El Triunfo (Triumph) and Jesus Mary.

Its exterior and interior facades are in the Renaissance style.

The interior is decorated with cedar and alder wood carvings. The most striking of these are the pulpit and the wooden carvings on the altars and pews, which were made by Martin Torres and Melchor Huamán.

Paintings in the cathedral include Our Lady the Ancient, The Pardon, The Last Supper by Marcos Zapata and The Christ on the Cross by mestizo painters. Paintings by Diego Quispe Tito, Juan Espinoza de los Monteros, Antonio Sinchi Roca, Basilio Santa Cruz Pumaacallo and anonymous artists are also on display as are objets d'art of embossed silver, such as the frontispieces.

The main chapels include the Señor de los Temblores (Lord of the Earthquakes), Vírgen de los Remedios (the Virgin of Remedies), Vírgen de Choqonchaka (the Virgin of Choqonchaka) and the Capilla de la Immaculada Concepción (Immaculate Conception Chapel) or La Linda (The Beautiful).

The Company of Jesus

The main floor is in the shape of a Latin cross. Its twin-towered exterior is very graceful.

The altar pieces were made of cedar and gilded with gold leaf.

Paintings by Marcos Zapata, Basilio Santa Cruz, Basilio Pacheco, Cipriano Gutierrez and Rivera and important sculptures representing Saints San Jeronimo and San Francisco are on display in the sacristy.

The Mercedes Church and Convent

The facade of this late 17th century church is exceptionally beautiful with its baroque church spire. Inside there are three naves with pilaster pillars and arches. The first cloister has richly decorated cedar carvings.

The church is most famous for its jewelled monstrance, which was done in two different styles. The upper part is in the Baroque style and was completed in 1720 by Juan de Olmos, a Spanish silversmith.

The lower part is in the Renaissance style and was made by Cusco silversmith Manuel de la Piedra in 1805. It weighs 22 kilograms and is almost one and half metres high. It is encrusted with 1518 diamonds and 615 precious stones, including rubies, topaz and emeralds. You will have to ask a Mercedian friar to let you view it.

Church of Santo Domingo

This Dominican order was founded in the city of Cusco in 1534 and was the first Dominican convent to be built in Peru. The church and convent were built on top of a great Inca temple and the most important religious building in the Tahuantisuyo. It was called the Temple of the Sun or Coricancha.

The church retains its 16th-century style and is a showcase for Cusco's architectural evolution. The baroque church spire dates from the early 18th century and is a monument to Peruvian architecture.

The image of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, carved in 1698 by the Indian sculptor, Melchor Huaman, and paintings by Juan de Espínoza and Diego Quispe Tito are displayed in the apse. The apse is also the burial site of Juan Pizarro, Diego Sairi Tupac and Felipe Túpac Amaru. Don Diego do Ojeda wrote the important work Cristíada in this convent.

La Piedra de los 12 Angulos

Located in the lower half of the Palace of Sinchi Roca it is part of the external wall made of green diorite, one of hte best samples of Inca stone masonry. It has been associated with 12 families that formed the extended Ayllu (Family) of Inca Roca

Qoricancha

Situated within the Spanish church of Santo Domingo. The name means the "Cloister of Gold".More important sanctuary of all empire dedicated to worship the Sun.

San Blas

This church was built in the 16th century and is the oldest in Cusco. The church houses extraordinary wooden carvings that were carved in the Spanish Churriguerra style. The pulpit is the most impressive cedar wood carving in Peru. It was carved by indigenous artists, who have remained anonymous. The main baroque altarpiece is gilded. Another fine altarpiece, the Virgen del Buen Suceso (Virgin of the Good Event) was made by the artist Mateo Tuyro Túpac. There is also a noteworthy fresco of the same virgin.

Church and Convent of San Francisco

Founded by the Franciscan friars in 1645, this church with its single tower was constructed in the old Spanish style using hewed stones. It was finally completed in 1652. Inside the convent, there is a huge oil painting by Juan Espinoza de los Monteros measuring 12 metres by 9 metres. It details the family tree of the Franciscan family. There are also works by Diego Quisoe, Tito, Basilio Santa Cruz, Antonio Sinchi Roca and Marcos Zapata.

Church and Convent of Santa Catalina

These 16th century buildings were built on the plot of land called Ajilla Wasi or the House of the Virgins of the Sun. The architectural style is late Renaissance with Roman arches. It has a chapter house with murals and other works of arts such as silver pieces, weavings, gilding and baroque altarpieces. There are also paintings of the Virgen de la Asunción (Virgin of the Ascension) and the Glorifying of Santa Catalina by Lorenzo Sánchez.

Church of San Pedro

The church of San Pedro was built on the same site as the Nature Hospital in 1668. Its The interior decorations are elegant yet sober. The church has many beautiful paintings, sculptures and wood carvings. Gold leaf has been used extensively throughout. The pulpit was carved by Juan Tomás Tuyro Túpac, who was also in charge of the construction of the church, .

Church and Convent of Santa Clara

This church with its impressive main altar and altarpiece with Venetian mirrors was founded in 1558. It was built by Pedro de Oquendo and is the only one of its kind in Cusco.