The Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús (Church of the Society of Jesus) is a historic

Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

Cusco Cusco or Cuzco (; or , ) is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and the Huatanay river. It is the capital of the eponymous Cusco Province, province and Cusco Region, department. The city was the cap ...

, the ancient capital of the

Inca Empire The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

, in

Cusco Region Cusco, also spelled Cuzco (; ), is a department and region in Peru and is the fourth-largest department in the country, after Madre de Dios, Ucayali, and Loreto. It borders the departments of Ucayali on the north; Madre de Dios and Puno ...

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

. It is situated in the Plaza de Armas de Cusco, the city center. It is built on an Inca palace. It is one of the best examples of

Spanish Baroque architecture Spanish Baroque is a strand of Baroque architecture that evolved in Spain, its provinces, and former colonies. History The development of the style passed through three phases. Between 1680 and 1720, the Churriguera popularized Guarini's ble ...

in Peru. The architecture of this building exerted a great influence on the development of many Baroque architecture in the South Andes. Its construction began in 1576, but it was badly damaged in an earthquake in 1650. The rebuilt church was completed in 1673.

History

The

Jesuits The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

arrived in Peru on March 29, 1568, landing at the port of El Callao and entered

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

on April 1. The road to Cusco was made by the Provincial Father Jerónimo Ruíz de Portilla accompanied by Luis López, Antonio Gonzáles Ocampo and three more priests who left Lima together with

Viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the Anglo-Norman ''roy'' (Old Frenc ...

Francisco de Toledo Francisco Álvarez de Toledo ( Oropesa, 10 July 1515 – Escalona, 21 April 1582), also known as ''The Viceroyal Solon'', was an aristocrat and soldier of the Kingdom of Spain and the fifth Viceroy of Peru. Often regarded as the "best of ...

. They arrived at the imperial city on January 12, 1571, before the viceroy who delayed attending to government issues of the country. Once in Cusco, Viceroy Toledo authorized the Jesuits to occupy Amarucancha, which then belonged to the heirs of

Hernando Pizarro Hernando Pizarro y de Vargas (; c. 1504 – c. 1578) was a Spanish conquistador and one of the Pizarro brothers who ruled over Peru. He was the only one of the Pizarro brothers who was not killed in Peru, and eventually returned to Spain. Piza ...

. The price of the property amounted to 12,000 pesos and was paid based on donations made by Teresa Orgóñez, daughter of Rodrigo Orgóñez - lieutenant of Diego de Almagro - and her husband Diego de Silva y Guzmán. On July 17, 1571, the Colegio de la Transfiguración del Señor and the Church of la Compañía de Jesús, were founded, beginning that same year the construction of the first building that served as a church. Likewise, near Intik'ijllu street, they built the Chapel of Nuestra Señora de Loreto destined for the Indians. This first church had a

Plateresque Plateresque, meaning "in the manner of a silversmith" (''plata'' being silver in Spanish language, Spanish), was an artistic movement, especially Architecture, architectural, developed in Spanish Empire, Spain and its territories, which appeared ...

-style façade and the main altarpiece was begun by Bernardo Bitti. The church was considered one of the beautiful and imposing in Peru and became the largest that

Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 ...

had in the

viceroyalty A viceroyalty was an entity headed by a viceroy. It dates back to the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the sixteenth century. British Empire India * British Raj, India was governed by the Governor-General of India, Governor-General and Vi ...

. Around 1631, in addition to the church, portals were built on the square under the rectorship of the priest Luis Ferrer de Ayala. This church suffered extensive damage in the 1650 earthquake and had to be completely demolished. The new project contemplated a larger church than the one demolished with two lateral chapels, three doors on the square and a bell of 100 quintals. Construction began on August 22, 1651, and the vault of the nave was completed in 1653 on the same August 22. The order requested permission from the

García Sarmiento de Sotomayor for the use of the Pucyura quarry, which was granted on September 16, 1653. The construction of the new church faced opposition because the plans were considered daring and would diminish dignity and importance to the

Cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

with which it kept very little distance. The written opposition was formulated by the bachelor Diego Arias de la Cerda on October 22, 1656, before the viceroy, who issued a ruling favorable to the Jesuits. This decision was appealed by the Bishop of Cusco Pedro de Ortega y Sotomayor before the

Real Audiencia A ''Real Audiencia'' (), or simply an ''Audiencia'' (), was an appellate court in Spain and its empire. The name of the institution literally translates as Royal Audience. The additional designation ''chancillería'' (or ''cancillería'', Catala ...

while the construction of the church continued. The construction lasted 17 years and included the 100 quintal

bell A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...

, which, however, was withdrawn in 1694 when it cracked. The church was designed by the Flemish Jesuit and architect, Jean-Baptiste Gilles (Hispanized name was Juan Bautista Edigiano), the works on the façade were directed by Diego Martínez de Oviedo, Oviedo is very likely to follow the plan provided by Gilles. According to Angles Vargas, in ''Noticias Cronológicas de la Gran Ciudad del Cuzco'' by Diego de Esquivel y Navia, there is the following news about the culmination of the church: The church remained under the power of the Jesuit Order until the expulsion ordered by King

Charles III of Spain Charles III (; 20 January 1716 – 14 December 1788) was King of Spain in the years 1759 to 1788. He was also Duke of Parma and Piacenza, as Charles I (1731–1735); King of Naples, as Charles VII; and King of Sicily, as Charles III (or V) (1735� ...

. The Jesuits left Cusco on September 14, 1767. There were 41 religious who traveled to

Moquegua Moquegua (, founded by the Spanish colonists as Villa de Santa Catalina de Guadalcázar del Valle de Moquegua) is a city in southern Peru, located in the Department of Moquegua, of which it is the capital. It is also capital of Mariscal Nieto Prov ...

and Ilo and to be transferred to Lima and then to

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. After that, the church became the parish church of El Sagrario (the Sanctuary) until the return of the Jesuits.

Description

Façade

The church is entirely made of stone, the material is pink

basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...

and

andesite Andesite () is a volcanic rock of intermediate composition. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between silica-poor basalt and silica-rich rhyolite. It is fine-grained (aphanitic) to porphyritic in texture, and is composed predomina ...

. It has a single

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

and two side chapels. The main façade is a classic example of the

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

style and consists of two identical lateral cubes that project towards the bell towers with a central façade limited by both. The bases of the cubes have a rectangular floor plan without decorations and end up in a

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative Moulding (decorative), moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, ar ...

. The middle third has a central window on the lower cornice that gives it the shape of a balcony without a railing. On each side there are two false

pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...

s with their corresponding

entablature An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...

. The bay occupies the central intercolumnium and a small niche opens in each of the side intercolumns. On top of the false entablature run two other false pilasters that in their upper third enclose the space for the clock. This body ends in a cornice supported by stone beams. The last third corresponds to the bell tower that has: *Four openings with sill edges and quasi-elliptical shape. *Four columns that constitute the framework of the bell tower. *Several false pilasters that decorate the previous columns. *A cornice that surrounds on all four sides. *The

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

of the bell tower with its capital. On the cornice, in each corner there is a lithic urn and another central lithic urn. On the horizontal line of the base of the mentioned urns, several small domes run. The lower part of the facade has a large door with a wide opening that culminates in a segmental arch. Three Corinthian columns on each side of the door, two of them together and close to the door

jamb In architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and cons ...

and another separate. The columns have a common pedestal with

plinth A pedestal or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In civil engineering, it is also called ''basement''. The minimum height o ...

, cornice and base plus the upper false entablature, with

architrave In classical architecture, an architrave (; , also called an epistyle; ) is the lintel or beam, typically made of wood or stone, that rests on the capitals of columns. The term can also apply to all sides, including the vertical members, ...

frieze In classical architecture, the frieze is the wide central section of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic order, Ionic or Corinthian order, Corinthian orders, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Patera (architecture), Paterae are also ...

and cornice. In addition, each column has rings in the upper and lower limits of the middle third of the shaft. In the space that corresponds to each intercolumnium there is a Latin cross made of white brindle which makes it stand out from the rest. A rectangular surface extends over the door with two side ornaments plus a central one as a shelf. On the shelf there is a pedestal with a niche that culminates in a semi-vault. Inside the niche there is a statue of the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

in brindle. On each side of this niche is a Corinthian column. From the internal ends of the cornices, the lateral entablatures follow a semicircular arch cut in its central and upper portion. The middle part of the façade has a central window above the statue of the Virgin that culminates in a semicircular arch. On both sides are ornaments in high relief on two pedestals. On each side there are two Corinthian columns together, with pedestal and false entablature, the shafts with rings. Moving to each side, windows open and below each one, a simulated window. Outside the window, there is a last column almost next to the tower. The final part of the façade forms a trilobe. The sides are identical and opposite in the arrangement of the elements. The central one is a semicircular arch. On each lateral lobe is a large fluted shell and ornaments. Inside the central one runs an

altarpiece An altarpiece is a painting or sculpture, including relief, of religious subject matter made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting or sculpture, ...

made up of two Corinthian columns with a complicated false entablature that culminates in a central medallion supported by two curved projections. in the intercolumnium there is a niche with a lower shelf.

Interior

Upon entering the church, we find the large central nave covered with Gothic ribbed vaults that unload their efforts on thick stone walls, following the design pattern of the

Church of the Gesù The Church of the Gesù (, ), officially named (), is a church located at Piazza del Gesù in the Pigna (rione of Rome), Pigna ''Rioni of Rome, rione'' of Rome, Italy. It is the mother church of the Society of Jesus (best known as Jesuits). Wi ...

in Rome, with its Latin cross plan. In the transept, the overhead lighting coming from the lantern of the semicircular dome highlights the great decorative treatment in stone that the pendentives of both the dome and the pilasters possess, allowing us to see the great skill that the indigenous stonemasons possessed in the stereotomy of the stone. Finally we arrive at the presbytery where the main altar stands out, made up of an

21 meters high and 12 meters wide, carved in cedar and gilded entirely with gold leaves. It has Solomonic columns, a large number of paintings, a central canvas representing the

Transfiguration of Jesus The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event described in the New Testament where Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is Transfiguration (religion), transfigured and becomes radiant in Glory (religion), glory upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels (, , ) r ...

, a sculpture of the Virgin of the

Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...

, and various ornaments and decorations made with precious stones that highlight the Baroque style of the complex. Similar sumptuousness is seen in the carved tribunes and the rest of the altarpieces, some of which belonged to the defunct Templo de San Agustín. The collection of sculptures and paintings within are noteworthy. The church exhibits, under the choir of the main altar, works of art by Marcos Zapata and his assistant Cipriano Gutiérrez. On both sides of the main gate of the main altar, around the alabaster windows (huamanga), there are two canvases that represent the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola: in one he is healing the sick and in the other he is victorious over the heretics and schismatics of the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

. The interior also hosts two paintings of great historical value. The first, located on the northern wall, is ''The Wedding of Martín García Oñas de Loyola with Doña Ñusta Beatriz Clara Qoya'', which depicts the union of this Spanish captain, nephew of St.

Ignatius of Loyola Ignatius of Loyola ( ; ; ; ; born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Basque Spaniard Catholic priest and theologian, who, with six companions, founded the religious order of the S ...

(who is founder of the

) and apprehender of the last Incas of Túpac Amaru, and the ñusta of Inca lineage, daughter of Sayri Túpac and therefore niece of Túpac Amaru. This noble indigenous woman, Beatriz Clara, was heiress of the Lordship of Yucay. Their mestiza daughter, ñusta Lorenza de Loyola Qoya, was the first Marquiss of Santiago de Oropesa, the nobiliary title that granted claim to all the properties of the Yucay Valley and the surrounding Oropesa, with the power to rule them with complete independence of the local authorities. This daughter married Juan de Borja y Enríquez de Luna, son of St. Francis Borgia. Also on the canvas are Túpac Amaru and Sayri Túpac, who, like the princess, wear native clothes; behind them appears the ''achiwa'', a kind of umbrella made of multicolored bird feathers and used only by the Inca. The second painting is on the south wall and represents the wedding of Beltrán García de Loyola with Teresa Idiáquez, daughter of Juan Idiáquez and Magdalena de Loyola. In the church, there are paintings and sculptures by Diego de la Puente, Marcos Zapata, and Cristo de Burgos. The Jesuit college in Cusco was dedicated the

Transfiguration of Christ The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event described in the New Testament where Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant in glory upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels (, , ) recount the occasion, and the Second Epistle of Peter also refers t ...

, and the high altar features a painting of the Transfiguration attributed to the Jesuit Diego de la Puente.

Chapel of San Ignacio de Loyola

The chapel of San Ignacio de Loyola is located to the south, and adjacent to that is the central location of the modern-day National University of Saint Anthony the Abbot in Cuzco. That building originally served the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, which was part of the University of the Transfiguration, created by

Pope Gregory XV Pope Gregory XV (; ; 9 January 1554 – 8 July 1623), born Alessandro Ludovisi, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 February 1621 until his death in 1623. He is notable for founding the Congregation for the ...

in 1621. After the Jesuits were expelled in 1767, the site served as the army barracks and prison of José Gabriel Condorcanqui (Túpac Amaru II). At the end of the 19th century it housed the Society of Artisans. The chapel is small and austere, with a single nave built in stone, and has a more sober portal than that of the main church. It is currently an exhibition hall.

University

Next to their church, the Jesuits built their own university: the University of San Ignacio de Loyola, now the premises of the National University of Saint Anthony the Abbot. Paradoxically, the two institutions were major rivals at the end of the 17th century. The stone façade dates from that time, but its treatment is much freer than that of the main church. Its composition, like an altarpiece, is adorned with a profuse padding and with blind, purely decorative windows. Its wide hall, crowned by a dome, is unique in Cusco. The inner cloister, which contains an austere stone arcade, served as a model for others in the city. It houses the Museum of Natural Sciences. The Seminary of San Antonio de Abad was founded in 1598 in a building on the Calle de las Nazarenas (today the Hotel Monasterio); In 1692, through a document given by

Pope Innocent XII Pope Innocent XII (; ; 13 March 1615 – 27 September 1700), born Antonio Pignatelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1691 to his death in September 1700. He took a hard stance against nepotism ...

, the University of Saint Anthony the Abbot was created on its base.

Side chapels

The complex includes two chapels located on both sides of the church. The "Chapel of the Indians" or "Chapel of la Virgen de Loreto" built in 1571 and rebuilt after the earthquake of 1650 and the Chapel of San Ignacio on the left side of the church that is currently the headquarters of the Society of Artisans of Cusco.

References

External links

Images of the Church of La Compañía de Jesús, Cusco and paintings at the MAVCOR website
of the

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

. {{coord, 13, 31, 2.64, S, 71, 58, 41.5626, W, type:landmark_source:enwiki-googlemaplink, display=title Roman Catholic churches in Cusco Roman Catholic churches completed in 1668 Tourist attractions in the Department of Cusco 16th-century establishments in the Spanish Empire 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Peru Baroque church buildings in Peru Jesuit churches