Sights in Cajamarca
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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.
The cathedral is a squat building - its construction began in the late 17th century and was only recently finished. Like most of Cajamarca's churches, it has no belfry. This is because the Spanish Crown levied a tax on finished ch…
reviewed
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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.
The hospital's facade has a fascinating statue of a woman with four breasts. Carved by local artisans, it supposedly represents an affliction (supernumery nipples, that is) commonly found in one of the nearby towns.
The baroque church next door is one of Cajamarca's finest, with a prominent cupola and a well-carved pulpit. There are several interesting wood carvings, including an…
reviewed
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Iglesia de San Francisco
This church faces the Plaza de Armas. It is often imaginatively illuminated in the evenings, especially on weekends.San Francisco's belfries were finished in the 20th century – too late for the Spanish Crown to collect its tax. Inside are elaborate stone carvings and decadent altars, and at the entrance is an interesting collection of dangling silver sacred hearts. Visit the church’s small Museo de Arte Religioso (Religious Art Museum) to see 17th-century religious paintings done by indigenous artists and the creepy catacombs, where many monks lie buried. The intricately sculpted Capilla de la Dolorosa to the right of the nave is considered one of the finest chapels in th…
reviewed
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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.
The entrance to the site houses a couple of modern paintings depicting Atahualpa's capture and imprisonment. Although well built, the chamber does not compare with the Incan buildings in the Cuzco area - the stone is weathered and the building has only recently been covered by a large protective dome.
reviewed
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Cerro Santa Apolonia
This garden-covered viewpoint overlooks the city from the southwest and is a prominent Cajamarca landmark. It is easily reached by climbing the stairs at the end of Calle 2 de Mayo, and walking paths spiral around the whole hilltop, making this a nice spot to take a stroll. The pre-Hispanic carved rocks at the summit are mainly from the Inca period, but some are thought to originally date back to the Chavín period. One of the rocks, which is 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 this point.
reviewed
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Museo Arqueológico
This small, university-run museum 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 Incas conquered the region, is little studied and relatively unknown. The Museo Arqueológico also has black-and-white photographs of historic and prehistoric sites in the Cajamarca area; its director is knowledgeable and willing to talk to visitors about the museum’s exhibits.
reviewed
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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.
The museum also has black-and-white photographs of historic and prehistoric sites in the Cajamarca area; its director is knowledgeable, and is willing to talk about the exhibits.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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Cathedral
This church faces the Plaza de Armas. It is often imaginatively illuminated in the evenings, especially on weekends. It 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.
reviewed
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Museo De Etnografía
This small, sparsely filled museum, just a few meters from El Complejo de Belén, has limited exhibits of local costumes and clothing, domestic and agricultural implements, musical instruments, and crafts made from wood, bone, leather and stone, as well as other examples of Cajamarca culture. Large-scale photographs and modern art interpretations illustrate traditional lives of the district's farmers.
reviewed
