Coricancha and Convent of Santo Domingo, Cusco (must see)
The Coricancha, "Golden Temple" or sometimes "Temple of the Sun," was the most important temple in the Inca Empire. Unfortunately, most of the temple was destroyed by Spanish conquistadors, but the remaining stonework was used to make the foundation of the Santo Domingo Convent.
You'll notice many variations of spelling used for "Coricancha" since there is no single agreed-upon English spelling. A few alternatives that you'll see include Qorikancha and Koricancha.
The Inca used ashlar masonry to construct Coricancha. This alone is a testament to the building's importance since ashlar is labor intensive and requires the use of only perfectly faced and squared stones.
At one time, the walls of Coricancha were covered in gold, and the courtyards were filled with gold statues. The Spanish described the opulence as "fabulous beyond belief." In 1533, the Spanish demanded a gold ransom for the Inca leader Atahualpa's life. Most of the gold came from Coricancha. A nearby archaeological museum has a collection of mummies, idols, and textiles from the site.
The Spanish eventually built the Convent of Santo Domingo on the site. Some of the stones from Coricancha were used for the foundation, and others found their way into other churches around town.
The convent was the first Dominican convent in Peru. It was founded in 1534, and the first building was completed in 1610. Unfortunately, a severe earthquake caused an earlier structure to collapse completely.
The building you see today was built in 1680. The baroque bell tower was added in the early 1700s. The museum here is divided into four areas: the Coricancha, the Cusco School, a contemporary art collection, and a collection of work collected by the convent to recognize modern works made in the city of Cusco.
You'll notice many variations of spelling used for "Coricancha" since there is no single agreed-upon English spelling. A few alternatives that you'll see include Qorikancha and Koricancha.
The Inca used ashlar masonry to construct Coricancha. This alone is a testament to the building's importance since ashlar is labor intensive and requires the use of only perfectly faced and squared stones.
At one time, the walls of Coricancha were covered in gold, and the courtyards were filled with gold statues. The Spanish described the opulence as "fabulous beyond belief." In 1533, the Spanish demanded a gold ransom for the Inca leader Atahualpa's life. Most of the gold came from Coricancha. A nearby archaeological museum has a collection of mummies, idols, and textiles from the site.
The Spanish eventually built the Convent of Santo Domingo on the site. Some of the stones from Coricancha were used for the foundation, and others found their way into other churches around town.
The convent was the first Dominican convent in Peru. It was founded in 1534, and the first building was completed in 1610. Unfortunately, a severe earthquake caused an earlier structure to collapse completely.
The building you see today was built in 1680. The baroque bell tower was added in the early 1700s. The museum here is divided into four areas: the Coricancha, the Cusco School, a contemporary art collection, and a collection of work collected by the convent to recognize modern works made in the city of Cusco.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Cusco. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Coricancha and Convent of Santo Domingo on Map
Sight Name: Coricancha and Convent of Santo Domingo
Sight Location: Cusco, Peru (See walking tours in Cusco)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Cusco, Peru (See walking tours in Cusco)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Cusco, Peru
Create Your Own Walk in Cusco
Creating your own self-guided walk in Cusco is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Cusco Introduction Walking Tour
Nestled high in the Andes mountains, Cusco is a city bursting with stories to tell. Peru's historic capital city was also the Inca Empire's center until the Spanish conquistadors arrived.
Before the Inca settled in the area, the Killke people were here from the years 900 to 1200. Sacsayhuaman, a walled complex outside of town, was built as a fortress by the Killke.
The Inca later... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Before the Inca settled in the area, the Killke people were here from the years 900 to 1200. Sacsayhuaman, a walled complex outside of town, was built as a fortress by the Killke.
The Inca later... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Cusco's Historical Churches
Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, is one of the oldest cities in the world. In the 16th century, Spanish missionaries introduced the area to Catholicism. The result of that has been a plethora of historical churches built in the city since.
Among the marvels of local ecclesiastical architecture, the Cusco Cathedral reigns supreme. Constructed on the foundations of an Inca temple,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Among the marvels of local ecclesiastical architecture, the Cusco Cathedral reigns supreme. Constructed on the foundations of an Inca temple,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles