Cuzco Cathedral

I am longing to introduce more Latin American churches into this blog. This huge major one illustrates part of my dilemma. How far is it Baroque? As we shall see it has medieval and Renaissance elements, yet I believe it legitimate to include as an example of early Baroque. The countries of South America have many examples of these. I cannot claim to have visited and in my current state of health do not expect to go. The extreme altitude and thin air would not be good! I remember too clearly Mr Sacheverell Sitwell's experiences in Peru in 1960 (in Golden Wall and Mirador, Weidenfeld and Nicolson,1961). Sleepless nights and no energy. He liked Cuzco and described it as like a Spanish provincial town in Tibet. I have become fond of it already by watching the little video below. I commend this to you as an introduction.

Cuzco was the capital of the Inca empire : the remarkable civilization which preceded the Spanish invasion. The conquest of Peru  began in 1533 and the result in Cuzco is that the former temple to Viracocha was replaced by the cathedral. It was built largely from brownish stones removed from the nearby Inca stronghold of Sacsayhuaman. It was begun in 156rra0 by the Basque architect Juan Miguel de Viramendi. Twenty years later it had not progressed far so new plans were made by Francisco Becerra, the architect of Lima cathedral. Then in 1603 Bartolome Carron ewas called in to help. Progfress was slow and then there was the earthquake of 1650. Even so the structure was done by 1654 and the towers by 1659. The noble early Baroque facade importantly has a protruding central portal with layers of columns.

Sagrada Familia Church adjoining Cathedral on left

The Cathedral is unusual in that it is flanked on both sides by other churches. To the left of the front facade is the Sagrada Familia. Built in 1723 to designs by Francisco Becarra and completed 1735. There is a fine altapiece from 1737.

Iglesia del Triunfo adjoining to  right of cathedral

To the right of the Cathedral facade is the Iglesia del Triunfo. This was the first church in Cuzco dating from 1538 and again built over a ceremonial Inca building the Sunta Wai. This was the scene of a desperate battle between Spaniards and Incas earlier in the 1530s. The Spaniards were saved by the

Plateresque stylw choir stalls of cedar 1660-78 (Mark & Andrea Busse on Flickr)





Side altars (Alf Igel on Flickr)

Gives idea of atmosphere  (Alf Igel on Flickr)

Norberto Broggini plays Fantasia "Scala Celite" by Antonio de Cabrera (from the Codex Saldívar) on the Gospel organ(anonymous, first half XVII century) in the Cuzco Cathedral, Perú. This is the earliest organ piece by a south american master