It occupies the north side of the Plaza de Armas. It has a neoclassical façade and is composed of three doorways, two lateral arches, seventy columns with Corinthian capitals and two Renaissance towers. The construction of this church - whose history is full of vicissitudes - began in 1544. Successive earthquakes, however, affected it until, in 1844, a fire finally ruined it. Its reconstruction, which began immediately and was completed in 1850, was in charge of Bishop Goyeneche y Barreda who, in addition, commissioned the manufacture of the main altar of Carrara marble and bronze to Felipe de Moratillo, son of the jeweler of the Queen of Spain, Federico de Moratillo who in turn made the famous monstrance of solid gold, filigree and precious stones that this great temple boasts to this day. The Cathedral also houses other treasures such as the carved wooden pulpit that was made in France and the magnificent organ and the wooden carvings of the twelve apostles that are located in the main nave. Two subsequent earthquakes, in 1868 and 2001 (in the latter one of the towers collapsed) shook the Cathedral again, but the damage, fortunately, was repaired almost immediately.
The Arequipa Cathedral is one of the most impressive religious temples in Peru. It was built in the 17th century, after the founding of the city. The constant earthquakes characteristic of the region caused it to be remodeled on several occasions. It is made mainly of ashlar and other volcanic stones. It has a neo-Renaissance style divided into 3 naves separated by other collateral ones and decorated by a handkerchief vault. The façade is made up of three other doors where a set of 70 Corinthian columns stands out.
The entire architectural complex has a solidity and ornate decoration in all its dimensions. Inside, there are pieces of great value with religious motifs such as canvases, sculptures, monstrances, organs, altarpieces and more. Many of these are part of the on-site museum of the Basilica of the Cathedral founded in 2011. Because it belongs to the historic center of the city, it is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Currently, it is one of the most important tourist attractions in the city.
The Cathedral is located right in front of the main square of Arequipa, in the heart of the historic center.
From your hotel in Arequipa you can walk since most of the accommodations are in the area made up of the historic center of the city. From the airport you can take a taxi service for a cost of approximately 5 or 6 US dollars.
The origin of the Cathedral is closely linked to the founding of the city of Arequipa on August 15, 1540. The founding deed states that a cross was placed on the site where the church was to be built. The first church was built by the architect Pedro Godínez in 1544, however, the earthquake of 1583 destroyed it. In 1590 the church was rebuilt, which in turn was partially destroyed due to the eruption of the Quinistaquillas volcano in 1600 and finally destroyed by the earthquake of 1604.
Between 1621 and 1656 the construction of the ‘Cathedral of the Diocese’ was carried out. This church was also damaged by the successive earthquakes of 1666, 1668, 1687 and 1784 as well as the fire of 1844. In the following years more reconstruction works were carried out. Likewise, donations of jewels and treasures from the family of Bishop Sebastián de Goyeneche y Barreda are made. During the 14th century, some of his relics were installed, such as the large English clock in the tower, the Belgian organ, the pulpit and more.
The earthquakes of 1868 and 1985 damaged some of the Cathedral's structures, which were restored in the following years. The last earthquake that damaged the building was the earthquake of 2001, which affected the towers. In 2011, the Cathedral Museum was created, which houses highly valuable liturgical objects obtained throughout its history of more than 400 years. One of its most illustrious visitors is Pope John Paul II in 1985.
The Cathedral has a neo-Renaissance style and is made mainly of ashlar and ignimbrite, both volcanic stones abundant in the region. Its façade is divided into three doorways and two large side arches. Seventy columns with Corinthian capitals stand out on its front. At the top, the two tall Renaissance-style towers attract the eye. One of them has an English clock dating from the time of Bishop Goyeneche in 1842.
The body of the church has three naves, the central one being larger and more substantial. All the naves have a handkerchief roof and are divided by pillars and other smaller naves. The whole complex, which took many years to build (mainly due to the constant earthquakes in the region) has a neoclassical tendency that attracts the eye.
The Arequipa Cathedral Museum opened its doors to the public in 2011, offering a historical tour through its treasures. Hundreds of pieces of gold and silver are exhibited, as well as works of art with Christian motifs. There are 4 rooms: the first two exhibit works of liturgical art in gold and silver, the third some ornaments and vestments of priests. The last room, paintings by the painter Francisco Lazo.
In the Minor Basilica of the Cathedral, the main altar made of marble (work of the Spaniard Felipe Moratilla), the carved wooden pulpit (work of the Frenchman Buisine Rigot) and the huge organ (work of the Belgian Francoise Bernard Loret) stand out.
The goldsmith's pieces are more than 400 years old and use precious metals from Peruvian soil. Among the most valuable pieces are: the monstrance 'La Moratilla' (work of the Spaniard Francisco Moratilla) as well as the wooden sculptures of 10 apostles of Belgian origin.
The canvases had the function of evangelizing the inhabitants from the Andes. It has a baroque style characteristic of the so-called 'Cusco School'. The paintings made by the artist from Tacna (1823) Francisco Laso (famous for paintings such as Las tres razas, Retratos de Felipe Pardo y Aliaga, La jarana en Chorrillos, among others) stand out.
The entrance ticket for adults costs 10 Peruvian soles. University students pay 5 Peruvian soles while school children pay 3 Peruvian soles.
Admission to the Cathedral during mass hours (Sundays at 7 am) is free.
The visiting hours of the Cathedral museum are from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.
