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La Merced Church and Convent, Cusco

Photo © Joe Jimenez. View all images in our La Merced Church and Convent Photo Gallery.

Erected in 1536 and rebuilt in 1680 after the great earthquake, the Iglesia de La Merced ranks just below Cusco Cathedral and La Compañía Church in importance.

The church and convent were founded by Riña Sebastián de Castañeda in 1535 on a plot donated by the Marquis Francisco Pizarro.

La Merced has a beautiful facade and lovely cloisters with a mural depicting the life of the Merced Order's founder, the French St. Pedro Nolasco.

The sacristy contains a small museum of religious art, including a spectacular solid-gold monstrance swathed in precious stones.

The church's crypt shelters the remains of two famous conquistadors, Diego de Almagro and Gonzalo Pizarro. When Almagro began his expedition to Chile, he brought along two Mercederian chaplains from Cusco.

The church was designed a Minor Basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1946.


Quick Facts on La Merced Church and Convent

Site Information
Names:La Merced Church and Convent; La Merced Church and Convent, Cusco
City:Cusco
Country:Peru
Visitor and Contact Information
Location:Cusco, Peru
Coordinates:13.518276° S, 71.979477° W  (view on Google Maps)
Lodging:View hotels near this location
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Map of La Merced Church and Convent

Below is a location map and aerial view of La Merced Church and Convent. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.

References

  1. Frommer's Peru, 2nd edition
  2. Church and Convent of La Merced – Cusco-Peru.org

More Information

Article Info

Title:La Merced Church and Convent, Cusco
Author:Holly Hayes
Last updated:09/10/2009
Permalink:www.sacred-destinations.com/peru/cusco-la-merced-church-and-convent
Link code:<a href="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/peru/cusco-la-merced-church-and-convent">La Merced Church and Convent, Cusco</a>