Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights
Sights in Ayacucho consist primarily of churches and museums. While the listed museums
have posted (frequently altering) opening times, churches are a law unto themselves.
Some list their visiting times on the doors; with others you will have to take potluck. Dur-
ing Semana Santa churches are open for most of the day; at other times ask at the tourist
office, which publishes the guide
Circuito religioso
with information on opening hours.
Joining the congregation for mass (usually 6am to 8am Monday to Saturday) is an inter-
esting way of seeing inside the churches.
The
Plaza de Armas
(also known as Plaza Mayor de Huamanga) is one of Peru's most
beautiful plazas and should be a starting point for city explorations. The four sides of the
plaza, clockwise from the east, are Portal Municipal, Portal Independencia, Portal Con-
stitución and Portal Unión. Around here are many gorgeous colonial mansions, including
the tourist office for details on how to visit these buildings, which are often open during
office hours.
Cathedral
(Portal Municipal)
This spectacular 17th- century cathedral on the Plaza de Armas has a
religious-art museum. The moody facade doesn't quite prepare you for the intricacy of the
interior, with its elaborate gold-leaf altar being one of the best examples of the Baroque-
Churrigueresque style (in which cornices and other intricate, Spanish- influenced work-
manship mingled with Andean influences, often evinced by the wildlife depicted). Several
other churches in Ayacucho also exhibit Churrigueresque design. See the boxed text (
Click here
)
for more on Ayacucho's other churches.
CHURCH
