La Merced Church, Cusco

3 more images

La Merced is a church and monastery located just south of Plaza de Armas. It was built between 1657 and 1680, replacing an old church which was destroyed by the earthquake of 1650.

We started our visit at the monastery, and it was quite interesting. The halls and walkways are decorated with great woodwork, beautiful ceilings, and many historic paintings. The monastery also contains a small museum of religious art, including a famous monstrance, more than one meter high and covered with 1,600 pearls and 1,500 diamonds! Don’t miss the basement, there are a couple of rooms, where walls and ceilings are covered with fantastic frescos....

The church building was actually closed for visitors, but a guard opened it just for us! However, we only had a quick walk through the church, trying not to get in the way of the cleaning crew…

3 more images

Esta iglesia perteneció a una de las congregaciones religiosas más antiguas de la ciudad del Cusco es la Orden de las Mercederias que estuvo muy vinculada a Diego de Almagro , socio y rival de Pizarro
El claustro mayor es una verdadera obra maestra del barroco cusqueño . Todo de piedra piedra que imita a las tallas de madera
Hay que ver el cuadro de la familia Mercedaria , el museo , la iglesia y los cuadros que tienen
This church belonged to one of the Religious Orders that arrived first yo Cusco . Is the Mercedarias Order that was very linked to Diego de Almagro , partner and rival of Pizarro
The Major Clisteris a real masterpiece of the Cuzco Baroque . All made of stone worked to imitate the wood carving
You must see the Mercedaria family tree , the museum , the church and the paintings they have

It has a beautiful facade and lovely cloisters. The sacristy contains a small museum, including a beautiful solid-gold monstrance and the vaults contain the remains of no less than two of the most famous conquistadors: Diego de Almagro and Gonzalo Pizarro!

2 more images

The Iglesia y Convento de La Merced is one of the more interesting of the many churches that you can visit in Cusco. Most people only see the beautiful whitestone cloisters. Here you find a very peaceful garden and a museum of religious works including Cusquena paintings. These paintings also adorn the cloisters themselves. Also of note in the museum is the solid gold, pearl covered monstrance. The cloisters are open to the public for 50 cents from 9am to noon and from 2:30pm to 5pm from Monday to Saturday. The church itself is also very interesting but access is open only for worship from 7am to 9am and from 5pm to 7:30pm. I managed to enter while the church was temporarily open during a religious procession that I happened upon while walking along the street. I actually thought the church was a bit gloomy but it does have an ornate facade.

This is probably the 3rd important church here in Cuzco after the cathedral and Jesuitic church.
You can visit the church itself in mass hours, or buy a ticket (1 USD) and visit the museum and monastery. Here are the tombs of Diego de Almagro and Gonzalo Pizarro.

2 more images

Great Convent and art in this church. Here is the courtyard. This is not the original church. The original one was destroyed in 1650 by an earthquake. The one presently at the site was built in 1654.

1 more image

A couple of examples of the art withn this church. The church inside is incredibly ornate but no photos are allowed.

Much in the colonial mold of La Catedral and La Compania is Cusco's third most revered church. Unfortunately not on the Boleto Touristico and about $1.50 entrance fee.