Plaza and Church of San Francisco

After the arch, Plaza San Francisco is a good place to sit down for a moment. There is none of the bustle of the Plaza de Armas here, and the church in front of you feels more austere than the cathedral or La Compañía.

1The Franciscans in Cusco

The Franciscan order settled in Cusco in the 16th century, shortly after the conquest, and moved here after first occupying other sites. The present church and convent were built and remodelled throughout the 17th century. Some sources note that it was one of the churches that best withstood the 1650 earthquake.

2What it keeps inside

When visits are open, the convent usually shows a cedar choir with carved stalls, a cloister and one of the largest canvases of the viceroyalty, attributed to Juan Espinosa de los Monteros, depicting the family tree of the Franciscan order. Beneath the church are crypts where, following a Baroque custom, some bones were arranged to remind the faithful how short life is. Check visiting conditions at the door.

In the Baroque tradition, bones were not meant to frighten: they were a lesson in how brief life is.

On the same square stands the Colegio Nacional de Ciencias, founded in 1825 by decree of Simón Bolívar.

3What to look for

• The church tower, in stone and almost unadorned.
• The portal, more restrained than the Baroque façades on the Plaza de Armas.
• The atmosphere of the square, popular with students and families.