Description
The Monastery of Santa Catalina (Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena) in Arequipa is a sprawling cloistered complex founded in 1579, which resembles a colourful citadel or a ‘city within a city’. The complex captivates visitors with its walls painted in vibrant blue and deep red, narrow alleyways (such as Calle Sevilla, visible here) and courtyards made of volcanic sillar stone. For almost four centuries, nuns lived here in complete seclusion from the outside world before the historic part was opened to the public as a museum in 1970. The convent is regarded as one of Peru’s most significant colonial buildings and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the historic city centre of Arequipa. – 1976
