Showing 1-7 of 7 results
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Cajamarca Cathedral
Two churches face the Plaza de Armas: the cathedral is imaginatively illuminated in the evenings, especially on weekends. The cathedral is a squat building that was begun in the late 17th century and only recently finished. Like most of Cajamarca's churches, this cathedral has no belfry. This is because the Spanish Crown levied a tax on finished churches and so the belfries were not built, leaving the church unfinished and thereby avoiding the tax.
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Cerro Santa Apolonia
The garden-covered hilltop of Cerro Santa Apolonia overlooks the city from the southwest and is a prominent Cajamarca landmark. It's easily reached by climbing the stairs at the end of 2 de Mayo. The pre-Hispanic carved rocks at the summit are mainly Inca, but some are thought to originally date back to the Chavín period. One of the rocks, known as the Seat of the Inca, has a shape that suggests a throne, and the inca (king) is said to have reviewed his troops from here.
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El Complejo De Belén
This sprawling colonial complex was constructed entirely from volcanic rock between 1627 and 1774. In what used to be the women's hospital, there's now a small archaeology museum and an unimpressive art museum. Once run by nuns, 31 tiny, cell-like bedrooms line the walls of the T-shaped building.
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El Cuarto del Rescate
The Ransom Chamber is the only Incan building still standing in Cajamarca. Despite its name, the room shown to visitors is the spot where Atahualpa was imprisoned, not where the ransom was actually stored. It has three trapezoidal doorways and a few similarly shaped niches in the inner walls - signature Incan construction.
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Iglesia de San Francisco
San Francisco's belfries were finished in the 20th century - too late for the Spanish Crown to collect its tax on completed churches. Inside are elaborate stone carvings and decadent altars. At the entrance is an interesting collection of dangling silver sacred hearts. Visit the church's small Museo de Arte Religioso to see 17th-century paintings done by indigenous artists, and the creepy catacombs, where many monks lie buried.
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Museo Arqueológico
The small university-run Museo Arqueológico is worth visiting; just knock on the door to enter. Its varied ceramics collection includes a few examples of pots from the Cajamarca culture and an unusual collection of ceremonial spears, also from the same period. The Cajamarca culture, which existed here before the Inca empire conquered the region, is little studied and relatively unknown.
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Plaza de Armas
This genial plaza has a well-kept topiary garden with hedges trimmed into the shape of Andean animals. The fine central fountain dates from 1692 and commemorates the bicentenary of Columbus' landing in the Americas. Come evening, the locals congregate here to stroll and mull over the important events of the day - a popular pastime in this area of northern Peru. Two churches face the Plaza de Armas: the cathedral and the Iglesia de San Francisco.
Showing 1-7 of 7 results
