Historic Centre of the City of Arequipa, World Heritage Site in Peru

Registration Classificationcultural heritage
Registration Criteria(1),(4)
Year of registration2000

Arequipa is a highland city surrounded by mountains in southern Peru. It is called the “White City” because most of the architecture is made of white volcanic rock, which can be found in the surrounding area. The architecture shows both Spanish and indigenous architectural techniques, and the beautiful cityscape, including the cathedral with its elegant Baroque facade, is highly valued.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains in simple terms why the Historic District of the City of Arequipa is a World Heritage Site. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Arequipa!

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What is Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa?

Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
Image by shutterstock

Arequipa is located in southern Peru at the foot of three volcanoes. Many of the buildings are made of white volcanic rock from the surrounding area, creating a unique townscape. The town was founded in the 16th century and was built on the basis of an indigenous settlement that lived before that time. Since the area has long been prone to earthquakes, the cathedral has walls more than 2 meters thick and the houses have walls 1 meter thick, making it earthquake-proof.

Along with the many major earthquakes in the past, the town of Arequipa was rebuilt and developed with new architectural styles: indigenous settlements in the 16th century, Baroque and Rococo architecture from the late 16th to late 18th centuries during the Spanish occupation, early neoclassical architecture from the late 18th to late 19th centuries after the city gained independence from Spain, and Neoclassical and modern architecture from the late 19th century to the present, and the city shows various phases of architecture.

Major Registered Components

Plaza de Armas and Cathedral

Plaza de Armas and Cathedral/Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
Image by shutterstock

The square is located in the center of the city. Here is the cathedral, built by the Spanish in the 16th century, which has been rebuilt and restored many times due to earthquakes. The current cathedral was rebuilt in the 19th century in the neoclassical style.

Convent of Santa Catarina

Convent of Santa Catarina/Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
Image by shutterstock

A Dominican convent founded in 1571 in the northern part of the old city. Originally a convent that accepted only wealthy women, it housed up to 450 people. Although the architecture is made of white volcanic rock, many of the walls are painted red, and the colorful color scheme of the convent stands out even in a white town.

For what reason is the Historic District of the City of Arequipa on the World Heritage List?

Plaza de Armas and Cathedral/Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
Image by shutterstock

Arequipa was recognized for

Registration Criteria (i)
The point is that the architecture standing in Arequipa is a masterpiece of Spanish and indigenous technological integration.

Registration Criteria (iv)
That the center of Arequipa was an excellent example of a colonial city that developed despite the effects of earthquakes and the Spanish conquest.

Conclusions and Impressions of a World Heritage Maniac

The old town of Arequipa, unlike Cusco, was almost entirely created by the Spanish, but is appreciated for being a city that was formed by the local population while coping with natural disasters, such as the earthquakes that occurred many times.

Incidentally, Arequipa is known as a city of gastronomy and a treasure trove of local cuisine. In particular, river shrimp is a specialty, and is excellent when made into soup!

*The contents here are considerations derived from research conducted by World Heritage enthusiasts.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the media.

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