Cajamarca is an attractive city and very pleasant to relax in and wander round. Although not having any outstanding attractions, it is a beautiful place full of history. The best introduction to the city is probably the Plaza de Armas (**), which has been the centre of the city since before the arrival of the Spanish. The modern Plaza is situated over the old Inca main square where Atahualpa was executed. The cathedral (*), on the north face, was built in the 17th century, and has a baroque facade although the cathedral belfry is missing. As with many churches in Cajamarca, the cathedral remains unfinished. This was to avoid the taxes imposed by Spain on churches, which were only charged once the church was completed. The cathedral has a very austere bare-stone interior, although there is a carved wooden altar covered in gold leaf.
The Church and Convent of San Francisco (**) (open Mon-Sat 3pm-6pm, entrance $1) on the Plaza de Armas has a fine carved stone exterior with an austere stone interior and a baroque altar with gold inlay. The church houses the extensive Museum of Religious Art with some fine religious icons and paintings from the Cusqueña and Quiteña schools, although many are in a poor state of repair. The church, as with all Franciscan monasteries, has catacombs where the monks were buried. These are rather bare, although there are a few skulls and bones to see.
The Conjunto Monumental Belén (**) (Jr. Belén 650, 9am-1.45pm, 3pm-6pm, Sunday 9am-12.45pm closed Tuesday) was built in the 17th and 18th centuries and consists of the church of Belén, the old women's hospital and the men?s hospital. The church has an elaborately carved facade and dome, representing one of the finest examples of baroque Spanish architecture in Peru, and is the finest church in Cajamarca. The interior has an interesting baroque cupola of painted stone. The old men?s hospital contains exhibits of medical equipment used to treat patients, and the building has many pretty frescoes. The women?s museum houses an archaeological museum, which has a rather poor collection of ceramics from the area, as well as an ethnographic section. Guided tours of the complex are possible.
The Cuarto de Rescate (**), included on the same ticket as the Conjunto Monumental Belén, as well as being the only remaining Inca structure in Cajamarca, is identified with one of the saddest and most barbaric acts of the Spanish conquistadors. The captured Inca Atahualpa offered to fill a room once with gold and twice with silver in exchange for his freedom. Once the treasures had been handed over, the Spanish executed Atahualpa in the main square of Cajamarca. Although unlikely to have been the room in which the treasure was actually collected, and most probably the room where Atahualpa was held prisoner, the room is a strong link to the city's bloody past. The red line on the wall supposedly indicates where Atahualpa marked the point to which the room would be filled with the treasures. Guides are available at the Cuarto de Rescate, and are worth taking, as they will explain the room?s significance and the historical importance of Cajamarca.
There are a number of other churches in Cajamarca, although of less importance than those already mentioned. The Church of La Recoleta (*) was built in the 17th century and is noted for its carved facade.
The Museo Arqueologico (**) at Del Batán 289 (Mon-Fri 7.30am-3pm) is run by the university on voluntary contributions from visitors. There is a large collection of interesting ceramics, mostly from the north of Peru, including many pieces from the Cajamarca culture. Although badly displayed, the pieces are interesting.
The Casa Mario Urteaga (Dos de Mayo 777) is a small art gallery with some paintings by Mario Urteaga, the only Peruvian artist to have a painting on exhibition in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. You normally have to knock on the door for someone to open.
Well worth visiting is the Santa Apolonia hill (**), which offers wonderful view over Cajamarca and the valley. The pre-Inca ruins of a stone altar can be seen, which is often called the Inca's chair. It is said that Atahualpa sat on the throne and admired his empire, although the stone predates the Incas by many centuries.
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