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The church and convent of La Merced were founded between 1535 and 1536 by Father Sebastián de Trujillo Castañeda. Around 1538, Francisco Pizarro donated the Limpipata estate to the Mercedarians, adjacent to the ancient Cusipata Square.
During the 16th century, the Mercedarian complex continued to grow until it became one of the most important religious spaces in colonial Cusco.
After the earthquake of 1650, the first temple was severely damaged and a period of reconstruction began. The current complex largely corresponds to the works carried out during the second half of the 17th century.
The convent originally had four cloisters; today, two convent cloisters remain, and one of them has become the current La Merced school. The church has a basilica floor plan with three naves, covered by brick vaults, and a dome over the transept.
It is located in front of Espinar Square, one block from Cusco’s Main Square.
Inside the cloister, visitors can find a wide variety of paintings and mural fragments from the original church of La Merced. These works represent the life of Saint Peter Nolasco, founder of the Order of Mercy, and were painted by master Ignacio Chacón. Also noteworthy are relics of the Cusco School, colonial furniture, a tabernacle, a candlestick, and a silver shrine. One of the convent’s greatest treasures is the Mercedarian monstrance, a work of colonial metalwork weighing approximately 22 kilos and standing over one meter high, adorned with gold, diamonds, pearls, rubies, and emeralds.
The basilica stands out for its choir stalls, colonial paintings, polychrome carvings, and beautiful Baroque cloister. The patroness of the church is the Virgin Mary of Mercy.
Museum opening hours:
Morning shift: 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Afternoon shift: 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Museum admission fee: S/. 6.00
Church opening hours:
Monday to Saturday: from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sundays: from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Happy passengers