Description of the attraction
When the Spanish colonial forces began their conquest of Peru, the city of Cuzco was one of the strongholds of power in the Inca empire. Its inhabitants fiercely defended themselves, twice the city passed from hand to hand before the Incas retreated in 1536. The Catholic Church took very seriously the construction of a cathedral in such an important colonial city in the region. The Cathedral of Santo Domingo, also called the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built with care and attention to detail, and construction continued for over a century. Today the cathedral is one of the most important and popular tourist destinations in Cusco, both because of its great importance in the history of the city and because of its beautiful architecture.
During the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Cusco, the most important and notable temple in the city was Coricancha, a temple dedicated to the sun god Inti. Many historians believe that this temple was the most sacred in the Inca empire. The Spaniards decided to build their own cathedral on the site of the Inca temple, and used most of the building material to dismantle the Coricancha temple. Today, visitors can still see a small number of ruined Inca temple walls near the back of the cathedral.
A small church known as the Church of the Triumph was built in 1536, shortly after the city was conquered. But as soon as the Spanish rule in these territories was established, the construction of a much grander and more impressive cathedral began in the city. The plans were drawn up by the Spanish architect Juan Miguel de Veramendi. The cathedral was built in the Gothic and Renaissance style, which was typical of Spanish sacred architecture at the time. Although there are some signs of the presence of Inca influence in the religious symbolism of the building, including the jaguar head on the main door of the cathedral. The construction of the cathedral began in 1559. Most of the Inca population was employed to carry out heavy work during the construction of the temple.
Over the centuries, the cathedral has become home to several important religious artifacts, including the famous statue of the Black Christ, which has been darkened by candles for several centuries. It is believed that this statue helped the church survive and survive after the devastating earthquake in 1650. On the right tower of the cathedral there is a large bell Maria Angola Bell, more than 2 meters high, weighing about 6 tons. Its ringing can be heard twenty miles away. The cathedral houses an impressive collection of art objects spanning several centuries, including paintings from 1650, which are the oldest in the city.
