Arequipa Colonial

Location

By the north it limits with Ica, Ayacucho and Apurímac, by the south with Moquegua, the east with Cusco and Puno and by the West with the Pacific Ocean.

Arequipa in Numbers

Climate

The climate of Arequipa is dry, tempering during the cold day and by the nights, with a temperature that is variable between 23°C and 7°C. In the city of Arequipa the sun shines almost practically all the year and in the months of January and February moderate rains usually appear. In the high zones but of the department the cold one is but intense reaching you accustom until 0° C that's why we recommended to every visitors to take the security precautions. Arequipa's department is located in the coast south of Peru and it has the largest coast extension, but most of its territory is in the Peruvian mountain range that is why Arequipa offers a great variety of natural beauties to the visitors. DISTANCES

Distances and time from Lima to:

Altitudes of the main places in Arequipa

Highest points of Arequipa

TURISTIC ATRACTIONS

Churches and Convents

Cathedral Basilica of Arequipa

It is located in the coast north of the principal square of the city, it was built in the XVII century with a neoclassic style with some of French influences, has three large doors and inside it we can find the high altar made in Carrara marble desing by the Italian Filippo Moratillo. The pulpit carved in wood work of the French Rigot and an enormous Belgian organ.

The Company Cloister

Church and Convent of the Jesuits's order, it was built in 1698, the façade has beautiful figures carved in ashlars like the two headed eagle of the Austria House, in the sacristy we can find important paintings of the cuzqueña school and from Bernardo Bitti. This fabulous construction show the baroque typical to Arequipa from the XVII century. It is located in the intersection of General Moran and Alvarez Thomas street. Open : Monday to Sunday from 08:00 to 20:00 hours.

Santa Catalina's Convent

This fascinate construction is located in the third block of the Santa Catalina street and is considered the most important religious monument of Peru. It was founded in 1579 under the invocation of Santa Catalina de Sena it wasn't open until the august 15 th in 1970 day that was open to the world. With a surface of 20 426 m2 it still conserve intact all the characteristics of the XVI century, inside the convent you can find two museums one in the Zurbaran hall, and other one bigger with more than 400 paintings that are the most important sample of the religious art in the continent. Open : From 09:00 to 16:00 hrs the 365 days of the year. Price : entrance $ 4.00

Santo Domingo

This beautiful church built in the 1667 in the mongrel baroque style presents and interesting sculptural work in the lateral façade. This beautiful temple is located in the corner of the Santo Domingo and Pierola streets.

San Francisco

Colonial architecture from the XVI century, it is formed by a convent and the San Francisco's Temple and the third order's chapel, it is located in the second block of the Zela's street. It was founded in 1552 for the Franciscans fathers's order, it maintains the original characteristics like a beautiful retable from the major altar, the cloister from the convent, and also you can find a picture gallery from the cuzqueña's school. Open : Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 17:30 hrs Price : S/. 4.00

San Agustin

The church of San Agustin was finish in the 1576, it was almost destroyed by the earthquake in the 1868, was rebuilt and reopened in the 1899 it was declared like "Sanctuary of the Lord of the Miracles" in the 1985. It has a beautiful baroque façade with copious ornaments carved in ashlar, the sacristy is a modern work of the mongrel crafts. It is located in the corner of San Agustin and Sucre streets.

La Merced

Mercedarian priests convent, baroque style. It was built in the 1607. In the lateral façade you can see the image of the Virgin de la Merced. It was also a gallery of art with many Spanish and mongrel paintings anonymous. Open : Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 12:30 and 15:30 to 18:30 hrs. Sundays mornings.

Santa Teresa

Convent and Temple were founded in 1710 of the Carmelitas Descalzas order, it is locate in the corner of Melgar and Peral streets. You can visit the temple in the mass hours Monday to Sunday from 07:00 to 08:00.

La Recoleta Convent Franciscan founded in the 1648 with several cloisters that are an excellent example of the arequipenian colonial architecture. In addition to you will find two rooms of precolombian, a religious art museum an art gallery and an amazing library with more of 20 000 volumes and incalculable printed during the XV century.

Open : Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:00 hrs Price : S/. 5.00