La Catedral

Lonely Planet review

La Catedral has a dogged history. The original structure, dating from 1656, was gutted by fire in 1844. It was consequently rebuilt, only to be promptly flattened by the earthquake of 1868. Most of what you now see has been rebuilt since then. The earthquake of June 2001 toppled one enormous tower and left the other slumped precariously, yet by the end of the following year the cathedral was looking as good as new once again.

The cathedral is the only one in Peru that stretches the length of a plaza. The interior is simple and airy, with a luminous quality, and the high vaults are uncluttered. It also has a distinctly international flair; the cathedral is one of less than 100 basilicas in the world that are entitled to display the Vatican flag, which stands to the right of the altar. Both the altar and the 12 columns (depicting the 12 apostles) are made of Italian marble; the huge Byzantine-style brass lamp hanging in front of the altar is from Spain, and the pulpit was carved in France. In 1870, Belgium provided the impressive organ, said to be the largest in South America, though damage during shipping condemned the devout to wince at its distorted playing for over a century.