Culture of Arequipa. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Arequipa can offer a variety of unique historic attractions, the majority of which belongs to the colonial period. There are many beautiful buildings in the city, most of which have been transformed into hotels, restaurants, and shops. Of course, there are several interesting museums in the city, and Museo de Santuarios Andinos is one of the most visited cultural establishments in the city. It exhibits an incredibly interesting collection of archaeological artifacts discovered during excavations in the Andes.

A frozen mummy of a young girl is the most famous exhibit in the museum. It is internationally famous as “Juanita”. The mummy was discovered high in the mountains in 1995. The discovery of the mummy was a real sensation in the scientific world. The girl, who was no more than 15 years, was buried among the glaciers yet in the mid-15th century. In the opinion of historians, the girl was sacrificed to Incan gods. Today, this is one of the most well-preserved mummies in the world. Museo de Santuarios Andinos features other interesting artifacts, the age of many of which is more than one thousand years.

Old monasteries remain an interesting peculiarity of Arequipa. Many of these monasteries are still active. Established in the second half of the 6th century, Monasterio de Santa Catalina is one of the most interesting monasteries in the region. As many as 450 women lived in the monastery in the past but today only 20 nuns stay here. Monasterio de Santa Catalina is recognized as one of the most beautiful in the region. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

All buildings in the monastery are painted in bright colors. Numerous flowers and orange trees everywhere make the area even more attractive. The monastery was closed until 1970 and became available for visitors only after this date. There are more than a hundred chambers and halls in the monastery. Some of the halls have been turned into art galleries. You will have an opportunity to visit an old church and admire its antique frescos and religious artifacts.

As expected, the majority of interesting attractions are situated in the historic city center of Arequipa. Picturesque Plaza de Armas is the heart of the city. Several beautiful streets with colonial-style buildings start here. Tourists can easily find multiple interesting shops and national cuisine restaurants near this square. When taking a stroll on the old streets, don’t forget that the backyards of many mansions are open for everyone. These are tranquil pieces of nature with gorgeous décor and multiple ornamental plants.

The historic square is also the location of the main cathedral in Arequipa – Catedral de Arequipa built in 1540. The cathedral was completely destroyed several times because of fires and earthquakes. The majestic building that we can see today dates back to 1868. Catedral de Arequipa has a chic décor with an old pipe organ as its main treasure. The musical instrument was made by Belgian masters. It is officially recognized as one of the oldest pipe organs in South America. Today, a museum occupies a part of the cathedral. It exhibits many valuable historic and religious artifacts. Visitors also have an opportunity to get to the roof of the building and admire a striking view from one of the best observation points in Arequipa.

Church of San Agustin is a no less interesting religious landmark. This church has an unusual design of the façade that makes it look like an antique temple. Columns and stuccos decorate the front part of the façade. Almost all elements of décor are handmade. Church of San Agustin looks just as wonderful inside – gilded columns, fabulous crystal chandeliers, and incredibly attractive wooden furniture made more than a century ago form the inimitable style of the church. Detailed sculptures of saints complete the look of Church of San Agustin. Finally, there are several precious icons here.

Many luxurious old villas in Arequipa were turned into museums at present. For example, Casa Museo Villalobos exhibits an interesting collection that is worth checking out. The museum carefully recreates the atmosphere of the colonial period. Fabulous furniture made from precious sorts of wood, collections of vintage tableware, and numerous artworks form the core of the museum’s collection. Porcelain and glass items are the true stars of the exhibition. In the past, the villa belonged to one of the wealthiest families in the city. The design of the villa also has historic value because many halls still have the original stuccos and wooden ornaments. Don’t forget to take a walk in the adjacent small park with gorgeous old sculptures.