Plaza San Francisco de Cusco

The Plaza San Francisco is one of the most beautiful that you can find in the historic center of Cusco, it has a lot of native plants that stand out in the well-kept garden and also has a beautiful pool in one of its corners.

Previously, this space was part of the Huacaypata or Plaza de Armas of Cusco, along with other squares such as Espinar and Regocijo. However, due to the construction of colonial mansions and churches, they were divided and nowadays each one of them is visited daily.

What to see and do in Cusco's Plaza San Francisco?

In the Plaza San Francisco you can take a break on the benches with the company of flowers, shrubs and birds that come to the place. Also, you will appreciate the following points:

• Botanical Garden, this was established in 2016 with the purpose of highlighting native plants such as Molle, Qéuña, among others representative of the region.
• Church of San Francisco de Asis, is one of the most important of Cusco because it was built to start the evangelization of the city. With the arrival of the Franciscan Order in the sixteenth century, construction began on the church next to the convent and the three cloisters in 1572. Today you can visit this space and also the museum that has different exhibition halls that narrates the religious life in colonial times.
• Casa de Clorinda Matto de Turner, is a colonial building that is in front of the Plaza de San Francisco, where the great writer lived more Cuzco Clorinda Matto de Turner in the nineteenth century. This site was declared a Historical Monument of Peru and since 1972 is part of the Monumental Zone of Cusco, which currently serves as the headquarters of EsSalud.
• Arco de Santa Clara, is a monument of neoclassical style that was declared as Cultural Patrimony of the Nation. It contemplates an architecture of the Republican period in the year 1836, ordered to build by the Marshal Andrés de Santa Cruz.

Why is it called Plaza San Francisco?

The square is named after the church of San Francisco de Asis, which during the colonial era of Peru (1572), the viceroy Francisco de Toledo ordered the construction of the church of San Francisco de Asis, which was in charge of the Franciscan friars.

How to get to Plaza San Francisco from Plaza de Armas?

If you are in the Plaza de Armas of Cusco or near the historic center, you can head towards Calle Marques or Garcilaso, by either of which you can reach the Plaza de San Francisco.