Iglesia de La Compañía and Complex
(The Church of the Company of Jesus Christ)
Iglesia de La Compañía on the southwest corner of Plaza de Armas, is known in the local language as the Church of the Company of Jesus Christ. The church is one of the best examples of Arequipan architecture that blends the European and Inca civilizations. Intricate carvings on the temple facade
provide only a hint of the baroque altars, bas-relief carvings, alfresco paintings, and other artwork found within the temple’s walls. The images include the double headed eagle of the central European Hapsburgs royal dynasty, flowers which lie at the foot of the pedestals and plaques showing renaissance ancestry.
The church complex consists of buildings constructed by the Jesuits for both religious and living purposes. The cross shape of the church is covered with a semi-circle shaped dome. The church was designed in 1573 then destroyed by an earthquake in 1584. The current structure dates from 1650.
La Compañía is home to a collection of 67 of the most valuable oil canvasses from 17th century Arequipa. The collection is made up of works of Bernado Bitti and Diego de la Puente, two Jesuits master painters who had a decivise influence on vice-regal painting.