La Compañía Church

Ever heard of minimalism? Well, La Compañía Church wants absolutely nothing to do with it. What you’re looking at is what experts sometimes describe as “stone lace.” Take a close look at the main façade, completed in 1698 after nearly a century of construction.

Practically every inch of it is carved, driven by what artists call a horror vacui—a fear of empty space. Because the volcanic stone is porous and couldn’t be carved too deeply, the craftsmen covered the entire surface with a dense layer of reliefs where pre-Hispanic imagery and European symbols appear side by side. Look closely and you’ll see flowers, Andean animals, and fruit woven together with Christian figures.

And there’s plenty more inside. Step through the doors and look toward the back of the church, where the main altar gleams beneath layers of gold leaf and houses The Virgin and Child by Italian artist Bernardo Bitti. If you have the chance to visit the sacristy, don’t miss the San Ignacio Chapel, which has earned the nickname “the Sistine Chapel of Arequipa” thanks to its exuberant frescoes filled with tropical plants and animals.

Then head back outside and enter the Cloisters of La Compañía next door, at number 118. The moment you step inside, the noise of the city seems to disappear. You’re now in a hidden passageway that cuts right through the block.

Your footsteps echo as you enter the claustro mayor, or main cloister, surrounded by perfectly symmetrical galleries. Look at the columns, carved with cherubs, fruit, and local motifs. Then continue into the second courtyard, the claustro menor, or smaller cloister.

Today, these two beautiful, light-filled courtyards are home to high-end artisan stores, cafés, and galleries. It’s the perfect place to pause beneath the arcades with a local coffee before emerging on the other side, onto Palacio Viejo Street. In just a few minutes, you’ll have walked through a century of history.