Iglesia de La Compañía

Iglesia de La Compañía Review

With its ornately carved facade, this Jesuit church on the Plaza gives the Cathedral a run for its money in the beauty stakes. The Compañía, constructed by the Jesuits in the 17th century, was intended to be the most splendid church in Cusco, which didn't sit too well with the archbishop. The beauty contest between the churches grew so heated that the pope was forced to intervene. He ruled in favor of the Cathedral, but by that time the Iglesia was nearly finished, complete with baroque facade to rival the Cathedral's grandeur. The interior is not nearly so splendid, however, although it's worth seeing the paintings on either side of the entrance depicting the intercultural marriage between a Spanish conquistador and an Inca princess. If you don't have a boleto integral, the church is open several times a day for mass and tourists are admitted under the condition that they participate in the mass—start wandering around and taking photos and you'll be shown the door.