San Juan Bautista, Puno, Colonial church in Puno, Peru.
San Juan Bautista is a church in Puno featuring a French Gothic facade with three Gothic altars and religious paintings decorating its interior walls. The structure sits near the city's main square and continues to function as an active place for worship and religious gatherings.
The building began as a simple adobe chapel for local residents and developed over two centuries into a substantial religious structure. This evolution reflects how the parish grew in importance and shows the deepening of Christian presence in the region.
The church houses a venerated image of Our Lady of Candelaria that draws crowds each February 2nd when local people celebrate with traditional dances and regional customs. This annual gathering blends indigenous and Catholic traditions into a festival that remains central to how the community expresses its faith.
The church sits close to Puno's main square and welcomes visitors throughout the year. Those planning a visit should time their arrival outside of regular worship hours to move freely and appreciate the interior without interrupting ongoing services.
The church walls feature mural paintings by Peruvian artist Tadeo Escalante from the late 18th and early 19th century. These works represent important examples of religious art from that period and showcase local talent that shaped the interior.
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