San Blas, Cusco

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Today San Blas is known as the Artists' District. There is a little square with a lovely waterfall. Next to the square is Iglesia de San Blas (Church of Saint Blaise). It is a simple adobe church with a single nave and one of the oldest churches in Cusco possibly 1544 but records are unclear. Over the years the original adobe has been reinforced with stone work especially after earthquakes. The bell tower was replaced after the earthquake of 1950.

The little church is the home of one of the jewels in the crown of Latin American colonial art. The pulpit has been intricately carved from a single cedar tree trunk. It was carved in the 17th century but agin records are unclear as to who was the artist and how long the project took to complete.

Unfortunately photography (flash and no flash) is not permitted.

Entrance is 15 Sol (2011) and is not on the Tourist Ticket.

Take a taxi to San Blas for a few Sol and wander down the streets to Plaza de Armas

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San Blas Church is situated on the square with the same name. It was built in the middle of the 16th century, upon an old Inca temple to ‘Illapa’, the god of thunder and lightning. The church is rather simple and originally built with mud bricks, but after the earthquakes in 1650 and 1950 it was rebuilt with stone walls. Also the stone bell tower was constructed after the 1950 quake, replacing the original tower made with mud bricks.

Inside the church you’ll find the ‘Pulpit of Saint Blaise’, which is considered to be the most outstanding example of engraved wood in the World! It is carved from a single tree trunk, but there are not many known details about the pulpit. A legend says that it is created by an local man who miraculously was healed from his leprosy and afterwards dedicated his life to carving the amazing pulpit. Other suggest that it was made by the famous Quechua woodcarver, Juan Tomas Tuyrutupa or Martin de Torres and Diego Martinez de Oviedo who also made some carvings in La Compania. In reality, no one is certain of the identity or the artist/artists that made it or how long time the work lasted.

The pulpit is extraordinary and no doubt is it the highlight of the church, but I also thought that the gold-leafed principal altar was worth a look.

The entrance fee was 15 soles (November 2009). Photos were not allowed inside the church.

Although this little curch might not look like much from the outside, I would challenge people to give it a chance! It's situated in the heart of the San Blas quarters, right next to the Plaza de San Blas, and in fact this is one of the first churches in the city of Cusco. The most interesting part of the church is obviously the inside, where you will find a pulpit made out of one single piece of mahogany, and which is considered as one of the maximum expressions of colonial barroque in Cusco. The pulpit as well as the altar are quite impressive, unfortunately there were no pictures allowed inside. The entrance to see the church will cost (it's not included in the boleto turístico), but it's not too expensive.

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San Blas is the more bohemian part in the city of Cusco. It's a bit up-hill, so might be a bit more tiring to get there the first day. In San Blas you'll find plenty of very picturesque streets, squares, and plenty of art shops, restaurants and bars. Definitelly a nice place to enjoy the more alternative atmosphere of the city.

This is a great walk to do . It's a steep walk from the Paza de Armas. The steets are narrow and from the top you catch a good view of the city . Lots of little bars and restaurants and shops along the way.

There an old adobe church you'll see too called Iglesia se san Blas.
We're told to watch our belongings but had no problem at all. the most we ran into were some children posing for pictures for some coin.

We particularly enjoyed this part of Cusco. It's got a pretty white church and a lot of small galleries and craft workshops, including several where you can watch the artists and craftspeople at work. There was a relaxing atmosphere in the square and we found a funky cafe selling great smoothies and generously filled sandwiches (above the church and to the right a little).

This is a good place to come to unwind and escape the crowds, although you have to climb a rather steep hill to get here - not easy at this altitude! But there are several interesting shops on the way, so take your time and look around.

This is a typical charming quarter up the hill north of Plaza de Armas. The heart of it is San Blas church, in the square of San Blas. There are not outstanding museums or churches here, but the tiny alleys are a good place to wander around early in the morning when it is not yet busy and crowded.
A lot of slopes and stairs here, so take it easy. A good way to visit it is to take a taxi (1-2 soles) to the top (Plaza de San Blas) and return walking downhill to Plaza de Armas.

In late January there was fiesta in San Blas lasting many days. The fiesta was focused around San Blas church, celebrating the Virgin of the Good Event. Every evening firework, and music playing all the time. In the street restaurant I had a great asado, but they did not have any pisco. That you get from neighbor restaurant.