Plaza de Armas

The Plaza de Armas is not to be missed when visiting Cuzco.  It would almost be impossible anyway as it is smack in the center of the historic city.  And it is large.  Very large.  And flanked by two beautiful, ornate, old churches.  Throw in a Starbucks, a McDonalds, and an Irish Pub and every foreigner for miles gathers here.  (It's too bad they couldn't locate the touristy and imported places outside of the square because even though they have tried to make them fit in you just know they don't really belong).  

The plaza is always teeming with people.  The locals love it because it is a beautifully landscaped space.  There are benches, low walls and many, many steps for sitting.  There are abundant trees for shade.  There are restaurants, cafes, and usually some type of entertainment.  It makes it the place to hang out and be seen.   The tourists love it for the same reasons plus there is some great history to see here too.

The two most imposing buildings in the square are the Cathedral of Santo Domingo and La Compañía de Jesús.  

The Cathedral, also known as Cuzco cathedral, is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Cuzco.  The church was begun in 1559 and was designed to look like the Latin cross.  It's plans called for it to cover an acre of land and almost all of the stones used to build the monolith came from Saqsayhuamàn (visited earlier in the weekend) and took over 100 years to finish.  But what a church it was when finished!  Housed inside are hundreds of original artworks dating from the 17th century to the present.  There are thousands of artifacts housed here too but I think the most impressive part was the structure itself.  Each and every part of it was either covered in gold leaf, silver, or carved by hand from huge blocks of wood.  It is also attached to the El Temple de El Triunfo and La Iglesia de la Sagrada Familia (The Church of the Sacred Family).  In reality, you could hardly tell where one started and the other ended.

But you will have to take my word on the beauty of it.  No pictures allowed inside.

On the opposite corner of the plaza, you will find La Compañía de Jesús.  It is a Jesuit church that rivals the Cathedral in grandeur and opulence (supposedly a deliberate move by the church - which didn't go over well with the Catholics).  The time frame of the buildings are also similar as they were finished within 40 years of each other.  This great church was begun in the early 16th century.  But it was almost all but demolished in the earthquake of 1650.  Finally finished in 1668, it is one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in all of the Americas.  It houses a great collection of artwork and a gilded alter that simply shines even in the gloom of the rest of the structure.  

But you will have to take my word for it, again.  No pictures allowed inside.  

Instead, I have the pictures of the square...

The Cathedral.

The Jesuit Church.

Entrance to the Sacred Family Temple.

There was a military parade while we were there - making it all but impossible to get a picture of the square as a whole since there were throngs of people - some very important.

It may look like it belongs, but it is still McDonald's.

Stinkerbell assumed her usual pose about this time of day.

Playing in the streets just off the square.

And then we had a bus to catch to the airport.  Not before MadHatter got her picture with the lamb (these ladies are everywhere and will stop for a Sole (about $.40).  And then the girls got the last of their wiggles out before having to get on the plane to Lima.

MadHatter did some Yoga.

Made some silly faces.

 

Stinkerbell just danced around being silly.

Cuzco was fun and definitely a once in a lifetime trip.  Ranks right up there for best birthday present (though I have gotten some dandies in my life - so I can't really rank them in order).