Courtyard of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Cusco Peru. Potted red plants on perimeter wall and colinad
The cathedral's construction began in 1559[2] on the foundations of Kiswarkancha. It is shaped like a Latin cross. The location of Viracocha's palace was chosen for the purpose of removing the Inca religion from Cusco, and replacing it with Spanish Catholic Christianity.[1] Because 1559 was only 26 years after the conquistadores entered Cusco in 1533, the vast majority of the population was still of Quechua Inca descent. The Spaniards used the Incas as a labour workforce to build the cathedral. The original designs for the 1-acre (4,000 m2) large construction were drawn by the Spanish architect and conquistador, Juan Miguel de Veramendi. His design of a Latin cross shape incorporated a three-aisled nave, where the roof was supported by only 14 pillars. Over the 95 years of its construction, the building work was supervised by Spanish priests and architects until its completion in 1654. Most of the stones from the building were taken from Saqsaywaman, an Inca holy and defensive structure located on the hills above Cusco. Due to its large size, much of Saqsaywaman remains intact. Just as the temple of Viracocha was removed and the holy stones of Saqsaywaman were employed to build the cathedral, the intentional desecration of Inca religious architecture, once the Spaniards learned that the very sand spread on Cusco's main plaza was considered sacred, they removed it and employed it in the cathedral's mortar.
Size: 3504px × 2336px
Location: Cusco Catherdral, Cusco, Peru
Photo credit: © Vincent Palermo / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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