 The cathedral of Cusco is a Baroque-style structure built on the foundations of the palace of the Inca Wirachocha. The Construction began in 1550, using many stones looted from the Sacsayhuaman fortress, and was completed a century later. It is considered one of the most splendid Spanish colonial churches in the Americas. Within the cathedral's high walls are some of the best examples of the Cusco school of painting, including a Marcos Zapata painting of the Last Supper with a local specialty, cuy (guinea pig), as the main dish.
The cathedral's centerpieces are its massive, solid-silver altar, and the enormous Maria Angola Bell, the largest bell in South America, which hangs inside of one of the towers and is made of gold, silver and bronze. The cedar choir has carved rows of saints, popes, and bishops, all in stunning detail down to their delicately articulated hands. Five chapels flank each side of the nave; the one dedicated to Nuestro Señor de los Temblores (Our Lord of the Earthquakes) contains a solid-gold crucifix that, according to the legend, minimized the damage to the chapel during the 1650 earthquake. Best Tours including a Cusco cathedral sight:
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