1.- HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE COMPAÑÍA DE JESUS CUSCO
Like other religious buildings in the city of Cusco, the Compañía de Jesus church was also built on what was once an Inca enclosure or construction, in this case it is known that the Compañía de Jesus Cusco is built on the ancient Inca palace of the ruler Huayna Capac also bearing the name of Amaru Cancha. According to historical records of the Spanish chroniclers who arrived in Peru, it is said that it is the order of the Jesuits who arrived in Cusco for the first time in 1571 and thanks to the support of Doña Teresa Ordonez who was the wife of Diego de Silva donated this land that was granted by Hernando Pizarro and in 1578 officially began the construction of the Compañía de Jesus Cusco, It took about 15 years to finish it, of course in its interior there are other elements of great importance such as the main altar that belongs to the elaboration of Bernardo Bitti and Pedro Vargas which was elaborated only in 1605.
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The original construction of the Compañía de Jesus Cusco was affected due to the earthquake occurred in 1650 where the main walls were more affected because of the damage, during the following years the corresponding repairs were made to adopt the form that we know today in which shows a Imafronte with 2 towers and bell towers, Although the dimensions of the Compañía de Jesus Cusco are not as large as those shown in other buildings such as the cathedral of Cusco, both contain a fine finish and decoration at the height of religious buildings of great importance.
2.- Architecture of the Compañía de Jesus Cusco
From the first glance you can see that the Compañía de Jesus Cusco contains two side chapels and at the top there are two bell towers that are an iconic symbol of this kind of religious building. It also contains a single main nave supported by several columns which are also finely decorated inside, in its entirety the Compañía de Jesus Cusco is made of Andesite stone and pink balsato, materials that were extracted from the upper part of the city where there are archaeological sites that during the conquest were destroyed and used as quarries. The facade or front of the Compañía de Jesus Cusco is composed of a set of windows, openings, niches and balcony where you can see in its entirety the colonial baroque art. It is also possible to pressure that on both sides of the Compañía de Jesus Cusco you can see two chapels, the first called chapel of the Indians (Chapel of the Virgin of Loreto) and the second called chapel of San Ignacio, thanks to this the Compañía de Jesus Cusco is one of the most important tourist and religious attractions as well as beautiful of the city of Cusco.
3.- HOW TO GET TO COMPAÑÍA DE JESUS CUSCO
Getting to the Compañía de Jesus Cusco is quite simple, this church is located in the main square (Plaza de armas) of the city and is visible to the naked eye so for travelers who have booked their accommodation near the historic center it is quite close and can easily reach it on foot. In fact the main places where most of the hotels are located is in the neighborhood of San Blas, Sol Avenue, Plaza Regocijo or surroundings and from there it is only enough to walk in a straight line for five minutes. If your accommodation is a little further away you also have the option of arriving by car, we recommend you to use the InDriver application to be able to make this journey safely, always remember to avoid using street transportation.
4.- INTERIOR ELEMENTS OF THE COMPAÑÍA DE JESUS CUSCO
In each space inside the Compañía de Jesus Cusco you can find unique elements that are valued as artistic and religious treasures, each corner reflects the incredible mixture occurred between the Andean belief and European art which is essentially characteristic of the colonial era that crossed the city.
4.1.- Main Altar
It is considered as the heart of the Compañía de Jesus Cusco since apart from being the element with the largest dimensions it is also the clear sample of how the European baroque art merged with the Andean belief resulting in this masterpiece of art that belongs to Bernardo Bitti, The altar was dedicated to the Immaculate Virgin decorated to the smallest detail in gold leaf which gives it a unique glow and at first glance stands out within the whole environment, the ornate design in addition to the position is completely inspired by baroque style that seeks to give an enhancement and raise the gaze to the Catholic religion. It contains diverse niches where diverse images of saints and virgins have been placed besides being surrounded by columns adorned by fine details in golden color.
4.2.- Sculptures and reliefs
The Compañía de Jesus Cusco contains one of the most incredible collections of sculptures that represent specifically Jesuit Saints and great religious figures that belong to the colonial era, the sculptures have dramatic and at the same time expressive characteristics since they were created with precise details that seek to transmit in some way or another the deep emotion between happiness and sadness. Mainly wood was used for their elaboration where a European style and technique was applied combined with the local sensibility which allowed these figures to be very expressive to the point that they seemed to be alive, it is also difficult to leave aside the reliefs that stand out in the walls and columns giving a complete atmosphere in baroque style besides presenting religious scenes where episodes of the life of Jesus and his mother Mary are narrated, it is known that the local artisans made a combination of European iconography with local elements which allowed in a better way the imposition of the religion.
4.3.- Paintings and art
Characteristic of all religious buildings, paintings are a vital and fundamental part of their interior. In the case of the Compañía de Jesus church stands out the series of religious paintings that have covered the entire ceiling and show the glorification of the Immaculate Virgin, the domain has been so perfect that was used at the same time the color and light giving in this way a real be the Renaissance and the same baroque, these details recall the deep devotion felt by the people of the colony and even more of the Jesuit order representing many celestial scenes where the faithful can reach a spiritual elevation thus making the whole Compañía de Jesus Cusco as a vehicle for faith.
4.4.- Handicrafts
The distinctiveness of the interior of the Compañía de Jesus Cusco is not only limited to the art and paintings that can be found at the ends, in fact even the finishes and details are very important where especially cedar wood was used giving life in this way to the doors, benches, columns and even the frames of the paintings that brings a durability and at the same time unique beauty. This was only possible thanks to the mastery of the local artisans in handling the wood, which is also a clear example of Andean tradition fused with European techniques.
4.5.- Gold leaf decoration
You can not overlook the fact that the entire interior of the Compañía de Jesus Cusco is decorated with a golden glow that is possible thanks to the use of gold leaf, from places visible to the naked eye as the main altar to the scenes decorated on the ceiling. This also had a double meaning, since thanks to the use of gold leaf, the intention was to show the wealth of the church and at the same time the power it could exert over the people of the time, making the members of the Jesuit order feel proud and more important than the other orders that already existed.
5.- CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE OF THE COMPAÑÍA DE JESUS CUSCO
Today we know that the Compañía de Jesus church is not only considered as a religious building, in fact it is a reflection of the immense cultural richness that exists in Cusco. It has been considered as a cultural heritage of humanity and for decades has become the only witness of many moments in history appreciating how Andean traditions were influenced by the arrival of European culture thus creating a unique cultural expression.
The Compañía de Jesus Cusco during the colonial era was one of the main buildings for the Jesuit order who sought to promote religious education and at the same time the approach to the divine belief through various artistic scenes, to this day you can see how images of many Jesuit saints like San Francisco de Borja or San Ignacio de Loyola are represented on the altar, the main message that was intended to seek with all the elements of its interior was the glory of God.
6.- GOLD WAS MORE APPRECIATED THAN WE THINK
“Many people are unaware that the use of gold during the colonial era not only had a commercial or aesthetic value, in fact within the religious aspect it had a symbolism to represent the divine and at the same time the celestial, thus associating the wealth that the church and the order that was in charge of administering it could have.”
7.- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What are the visiting hours for Compañía de Jesus Cusco?
It is possible to visit the Compañía de Jesus church from Monday to Friday from 08:00 am to 11:00 am and from 13:00 pm to 17:00 pm. On Sundays it is open from 09:00 am to 10:30 am and from 13:00 pm to 17:00 pm.
- How much does it cost to enter Compañía de Jesus?
All the people can enter without problem to the Compañía de Jesus church, the price is s/10.00 Peruvian soles for adults and s/5.00 Peruvian soles for students and minors.
- Why was Compañía de Jesus built in Cusco?
The Compañía de Jesus Cusco was built in the city of Cusco as a center for the Jesuit religious order to settle in the early sixteenth century. The purpose was to evangelize the Andean population and promote religious education.
- What is the difference between Cusco Cathedral and Compañía de Jesus?
There are several differences between the two buildings, for its part the cathedral required more time to be built almost 100 years in addition to what is considered the most important and largest religious building in the city, is also characterized by having as administrative order to the diocesans and is the main seat of the Azobispado of Cusco. On the other hand the Compañía de Jesus Cusco took less time in its construction and belongs to the Jesuit order, it stands out mainly for the golden decoration that has gold leaf and essentially they are recognized for having a thought directed towards religious education having as a center of formation and catechesis to the Jesuits.
- Can you take photos inside Compañía de Jesus?
Yes, however, as in any religious center there are limitations and restrictions, in this case there are areas that are much more sensitive to luminescence for this reason there are signs and notices where this practice is prohibited, it is important to comply with the rules or else visitors will be removed.
Cusco is a city with a lot of history and culture that remains alive to this day, among those essential aspects is religion and visiting the Compañía de Jesus Cusco is one of the best ways to know that history. Auri Peru can help you live that incredible experience in a different way, contact us now and let’s design together a personalized adventure for 2025.
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