Iglesia de La Compañía

Arequipa


If Arequipa’s cathedral seems too big, an interesting antidote is this diminutive Jesuit church on the southeast corner of the Plaza de Armas. Proving that small can be beautiful, its facade is an intricately carved masterpiece of the churrigueresque style hatched in Spain in the 1660s (think baroque and then some). The equally detailed altar, completely covered in gold leaf, takes the style further and will be eerily familiar to anyone who has visited Seville cathedral in Spain.

To the left of the altar is the San Ignacio Chapel, with a polychrome cupola smothered in unusual jungle-like murals.

Next door, and accessed via Calle Santo Domingo, the beautiful, semi-outdoor shopping center Claustros de la Compañía continues the ornate theme.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Arequipa attractions

1. San Ignacio Chapel

0.02 MILES

This chapel's polychrome cupola is smothered in jungle-like murals of tropical flowers, fruit and birds, among which mingle warriors and angels. It's…

2. Plaza de Armas

0.07 MILES

Arequipa’s main plaza, unblemished by modern interference, is a museum of the city’s sillar (volcanic rock) architecture – white, muscular and…

4. Museo de la Catedral

0.08 MILES

A must for visitors who want to see more of Arequipa's cathedral, the included 45-minute bilingual tour of this 'museum' is actually a peek at the inner…

5. Museo Santuarios Andinos

0.08 MILES

There’s an escalating drama to this theatrically presented museum, dedicated to the preserved body of a frozen ‘mummy,’ and its compulsory guided tour …

6. La Catedral

0.11 MILES

This beautiful building on the Plaza de Armas stands out for its stark white sillar (volcanic rock) and massive size – it's the only cathedral in Peru…

7. Casa Ricketts

0.12 MILES

The ornate Casa Ricketts has served as a seminary, archbishop’s palace, school and home to well-to-do families since it was built in 1738. Today it is the…

8. Casona Iriberry

0.14 MILES

It's worth a peek inside this casona (large house); the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín (UNSA) is located within its 18th-century colonial halls and…

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