Andahuaylillas -originally meaning Antawaylla or "field of copper"- is a small village said to have a benign climate and easy-going people. The village of Andahuaylillas is about 36 km southeast of Cusco. It is located a short distance off of the main road (Highway 32N) from Cuzco to Puno. You simply take a bumpy dirt road a very short distance from the main road and you will drive into main plaza of the village, in spring it is draped in red-flowered persona trees. Andahuaylillas main attraction is a humble looking church, called the “Church of San Pedro of Andahuaylillas”. Using a common form of intimidation throughout the new world, by the Conquistadores; this Catholic Church, was built in 1631, after the conquest, on the base of an ancient Inca temple. This actual church was one of the first attempts in this area to impress and convert the pre-Spanish inhabitants of Peru. The church is of simple construction, made of thick adobe mud-brick walls, common in colonial buildings, and features a relatively modest structure: a single nave with a bell tower and a façade with two solid stone columns that stand out against the others around the main entrance. While the exterior of the church looks rather humble, it is the interior, that makes this one of the most valuable jewels of the colonial art in Peru, sometimes called the “Capilla Sixtina” or "Sistine Chapel" of America. The interior of the Church of San Pedro of Andahuaylillas is covered with Baroque art and many decorations. It has numerous and beautiful paintings of the “Escuela Cusqueña” or “Academy of Cusco”. There also is the mural by Luis de Riaño representing the path to glory and the path to hell. He was also said to be the artist of the low borders of the wall and an important oil painting of the archangel San Miguel. The main altar is decorated in gold leaf from the Amazon region. The Baroque work of art is carved out of cedar with leaves of gold, above it the walls and ceiling are decorated with murals of geometric designs and golden decorations. The total effect is crowned by a portrait of the Immaculate Conception attributed to the grand master painter Murillo. The church also contains a majestic piano and on the side walls there are other altars and chapels embellished with a collection of anonymous oil paintings belonging to the Cuzco School. These and other valuable paintings make Andahuaylillas yet another treasure in the Urubamba Valley, in Cuzco We visited this church on April 19, 2006 at about 8:30 AM.

Church of San Pedro of Andahuaylillas

Typical Andahuaylillas Street	Meeting A Tour Bus
Typical Andahuaylillas House	Typical Andahuaylillas Construction
Andahuaylillas Tourist Market	Andahuaylillas Tourist Market
Church of San Pedro	Church of San Pedro
Interior View	Baroque Main Altar
Interior View	Roof Beams
Nave	The Holy Family