Diario las Américas., 1958-06-28
Know thy
NeighborI
By ANTONIO RUIZ

of Cuzco. including the magnlfl-
cent Cathedral, were built over the
ruins of temples of palaces OF
the lncas. The Church of La Com
pania de Jesus, built by the jesuit
fathers on the ruins of the Amaru'
kancha Palace, formerly the seat
of Emperor Huayna Capac, is per-
haps the most artistic Of the Cuz-
co churches. The Jesuits started
construction right after the earth
quake of 1850, and it took only IL
ears to complete it, thanks to the
generous donations received and
the great efforts of the members
of the order. The exterior aspect
of this church is light and grace
full, contrasting strangely with the
Roman-Incaic heaviness of the
Cathedral High towers lend add
ed charm to this church.
The interior is sumptuous. It is
crucigorm, the dome being es-
pecially notable for its artiStically
carved arches. There is ar under
ground chapel beneath the main
altar, as well as many underground
crypts. Secret passages lend an air
of mystery to this building, in
which intricate stairways lead un,
expectedly from one section to
another.
Two paintings of documentary
value are preserved at the entrance
of this magnificent church. One of
them represents the marriage OF a
nephew of st. Ignacio de Loyola to
the Inca Princess Dona Beatriz.
Two contrast in dresses and de-
corative motives between the In
dians and the S~paniards in the
picture is very marked, making it
SO much more interesting. The
other picture represents a matri-
monial union between a lady mem
Der of the Borja family, and a
scion of the Loyola family, both
prominent families in Jesuit cir
Giles. Many pictures hang from the
walls in their gilded frames. Two
magnificent p lie of statuary
work stand out from the rest, a
Saint Jerome and a Saint Francis.
The foundations of the church
and monastery of Santo Domin-
go rest on the granite walls of
the Temple of the Sun. The Span
ish architecture of this monastery
forms a remarkable contrast with
the art of the Incas, whose supreme
masterpiece was this very same
temple. dedicated to their chief
divinity. The single tower of this
church is noteworthy for its solid
structure sober and majestic style,
the topmost part being heavily
ornamented.
In the interior, there is a paint
ing representing a historic scene
in Cajamarca, as well as some
sculpture of Indian workmanship
and other works of art of minor
Importance. In the crypt, the re-
mains of Sayri Tupaj are preserv-
ed. The exterior cloister of the
monastery is built in the style so
common to the majority of the &C.
clesiastical buildings. The interior
one consisting only of one story,
has a more refined and artistic,
style. The Santo Domingo church
and monastery suffered great dam
ages during the earthquake of May
81, 1850
The Franciscan Fathers built
their home and their Church of
San Francisco on large platforms
existing TO the west of the city,
once important cultivated grounds,
probably the property Of the Great
Inca. A very unfortunate moder-
nization has deprived the church
of all its artistic value, which, on
the other hand, the monastery has
conserved.
The Sacristy has been saved
from destruction. In the cloisters,
beautiful paintings in the Cuzco
School style can be seen. The
Choir, which according to histor.
ians was the work of one man,
Father Luis Monies, is a real jewel.
In the outer cloister is the tomb
Of the Salcedo brothers, wealthy
miners of Laykakota, who fell vic.
tins to the severe rule of the
Spanish authorities The famous in
%surrection of the Salcedos took
place in 1858.