In this opportunity we visited the church of Triunfo, which is next to the Cathedral of Cusco and the church of the Holy Family, was one of the first churches to be built, before being a temple the area was the palace of the Inca Viracocha; currently it is the continuous chapel of the Cathedral where the remains of the Inca Garcilaso and other valuable objects are still kept.
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Now it is our turn to talk about the church of Triunfo, a little history to know. After the Spaniards founded the new city of Cusco, the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro distributed the lots to the other conquerors, as far as we know this place was one of the two Suntur Wasi (House of God) that were in the Huacaypata.
It was always located in the square and was one of the high level sites, so its extension area was large and some time later the most important Cathedral of Cusco was built next to the church of Triunfo.
Historically, the first mass was recorded, celebration made by Vicente de Valverde; in addition, a cross was installed that will be called the Cross of the Conquest because it was brought from Spain. In 1538 Valverde returned from Europe with the title of Bishop of the city of Cusco and Peru.
And to evangelize the people of that time Valverde did masses in the cathedral of the triumph of that time, once the construction of the current Cathedral of Cusco was completed, the hours of worship were moved to this place.
Architecture of the Church of Triumph
It was built with andesite stone, the plant resembles a Greek cross, the dome is located in the center of the four cruciform pillars that are part of the four semicircular arches that support the structure of the central dome.
Regarding the façade, it has a Renaissance style that is formed by a rectangular canvas of two bodies; the first belongs to the doors and the second to the windows. The internal part also consists of three bodies that end in semicircular arches.
The central door is the only one that is in use, since its two doors on the sides are walled up since its inauguration, each door has jambs and voussoir arches together and on the outside it has a false column similar to the main door; between the wall of the door there is a space that is occupied by a square medallion.
A few centimeters farther there are two pictures with written text mentioning the miracles that were directed to the Spaniards at that time.
Above the doors you will also see windows that take the form of a semicircular arch, its facade ends with a top end with horizontal slats that form small quadrangular figures and small successively.
Finalizing the description of the church in the upper part of the windows and doors there are three niches that kept images in bulk, as a general summary the temple was integrated by three naves that were divided in the epistle, the gospel and the central nave.
It is located in the Main square of Cusco, just north of the Cathedral of Cusco, being one of the most important religious monuments of the historic center.
To enter this temple you have to pay an entrance fee depending on whether you are a national or foreign tourist, in the place it is forbidden to take pictures and film videos.
Inside you will find a variety of valuable objects, canvases, religious sculptures, paintings made by Cusquenian painters and a collection of treasures of great value, when you enter you will realize that it connects with the Cathedral of Cusco, so you will find more images.
In the place there is also the sculpture of the Señor de los Temblores, the Virgen de la Purísima Concepción and representations of saints and virgins, the monstrance (one of the best treasures), silver ornaments among other objects.
Actually the temple has a variety of relics not only colonial, you can also find in the place a sacred Inca stone, those who know it take their kintu and ask him, since this would be a direct connection with the Andean world, so it still keeps the two worlds in this church and others.
If you want to know more about its history and about the relics kept in this church, you must visit it, it would be unforgivable not to go while in Cusco, our travel agency Terandes has professionals who will show you all the attractions and at the same time teach you the Andean culture.
