Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa
(La Catedral)
The majestic La Catedral stands on the north end of Arequipa’s Plaza de Armas. The stunning baroque cathedral is the tallest building in the city. Its pyramid shaped bell towers frame the crest of Chachani, one of the three nearby volcanoes.
La Catedral is considered one of the first seventeenth century religious monuments of the city. It has a history that dates back to 1544 when the first church was constructed. Subsequent buildings have been challenged by disasters that plague the edifice. It was seriously damaged by earthquakes in 1600 and 1604, gutted by fire in 1844 then destroyed by the earthquake of 1868. The most recent devastation occurred when the building was struck hard by the earthquake of 2001 which toppled one of its towers but did no serious damage to the building.
The Cathedral is built of sillar (white volcanic stone quarried from nearby lava flows) with a brick base. The architect used a Neoclassical style and placed the entrances of church on the flanking naves.
The existing structure was completed in 1848. The three nave Cathedral is supported by ten columns holding up 18 vaults which are connected. Inside the Cathedral are 13 cedar alters which are covered with gold.
The Cathedral is built of sillar (white volcanic stone quarried from nearby lava flows) with a brick base. The architect used a Neo-classical style and placed the entrances of church on the flanking naves. The existing structure was completed in 1848. The three nave Cathedral is supported by ten columns holding up 18 vaults which are connected. Inside the Cathedral are 13 cedar altars which are covered with gold.
Inside the Cathedral are three naves of equal height and vault shaped roofs which are supported by columns and molding in gold and silver. The organ donated by Belgium is said to be the largest in South America. The Cathedral's features include a French pulpit made from wood and covers a spectacular sculpture of a winged demon who is bent double, defeated by the weight of the True message. La Catedral is only one of about 100 basilicas permitted to fly the Vatican flag.