Arequipa, The “White City” Of Peru

Arequipa, the White City

The White City is located in the southern part of Peru, at an altitude of 2,328 meters, on the shores of the imposing “Misti” volcano. It is the capital of the department that bears the same name and has more than 860,000 inhabitants, which makes it the second largest city in Peru.

Arequipa is called the White City, because most of its buildings are made of ashlar, a volcanic stone with an intense white color that is very  abundant in this area. Most of its traditional Arequipa buildings were built with it, including its magnificent temples. For this reason it is considered a jewel of colonial architecture and Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Its history and legend

About 8,000 years ago this territory was occupied by the Wari empire, and then by the Arequipa culture it  was founded in 1540 by the Spanish conqueror Garcí Manuel De Carbajal, under the name of “Villa Hermosa de Nuestra Señora de la Asunta”.

It is said that its current name comes from two legends, an account that comes from the Aymara indigenous people, in their language, “ari” means “summit” and “quipa” behind. Another legend says that the Inca Mayta Capac was on a journey when he saw this place, he was so impressed by the beauty of its places that his warriors asked him to stay, to which he replied “Ari, quipay!” which when translated says “Yes, stay!”

Land of volcanoes

The Misti (El Caballero) volcano is not the only volcano in the vicinity of the city, but the most famous for its size. The “Chanchani” (the Dear One) and the “Picchu Picchu” (the Upper Top) are two smaller volcanoes that exist in the area.

Volcanic activity caused the famous earthquakes of 1687 and 1868, which destroyed practically the entire city. Most of its churches were built and renovated after 1868.

Arequipa main attractions

The church of the Company of Jesus of Arequipa

It is the best example of religious architecture in the city. Its façade is in the Peruvian or mestizo baroque style and, fortunately, it withstood terrible earthquakes well.

The date of its construction is unknown and inside the chapel of San Ignacio Loyola you can find paintings by Bernardo Bitti, whose contribution to the Cuzco school of painting is very important.

Recoleta Convent

The Franciscan convent La Recoleta is a beautiful piece of architecture founded in 1648, it has an art gallery and an important library. Since 1978 it works as a museum.

Convent of Santa Catalina

The Santa Catalina convent is considered one of the most important colonial religious monuments in Peru, it was founded in 1579 and built as a small city. It was expanded in the seventeenth century and occupies an area of ​​approximately twenty thousand square meters, which makes it one of the largest convents in the world.

Colonial houses

Arequipa is known for its colonial architecture. You can see in its streets beautiful colonial houses built between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Most of them have been sold banks to establish their headquarters or converted into shopping centers and hotels. Some of these beautiful colonial houses can be visited by the public, who can appreciate in detail all its architecture, its gardens, statues and fronts.

Main Square

Founded in 1540, it was an open market until 1868. One of its attractions are three portals built with granite and with brick and lime vaults. In its center there is a beautiful bronze fountain that represents the figure of the typical 16th century soldier, “the Tuturutu” was in charge of announcing any event.

Arequipa Cathedral

It is one of the first religious monuments in the city. It is built in a neoclassical style and its beautiful façade stands out because it has no less than seventy columns with Corinthian capitals, three doorways and two side arches. Two monumental towers complete the façade.

Inside, its pulpit is a beautiful work of cabinetmaking art made with Carrara marbles. Also noteworthy are its goldsmiths, its two custodians of gold and diamonds and its organ of Belgian origin, one of the largest in South America. Arequipa Cathedral is one of the seventy churches in the Catholic world authorized to display the Vatican banner.

There are many reasons to visit Arequipa. Its natural wonders, cultural monuments, traditions and history framed in a fantastic climate await you in the beautiful “White City”