Convento San Agustín, Religious complex and hotel in historic center, Cusco, Peru
Convento San Agustín is a colonial stone building complex in Cusco's historic center that combines Spanish architecture with foundation walls from Inca times. The property spreads across multiple levels featuring large courtyards and decorated facades that show different architectural styles and construction periods.
Augustinian missionaries founded the convent in 1559 as a spiritual and administrative center in the newly established colonial city. Religious communities used the building for teaching and pastoral work until a bombing during civil conflict in 1826 forced the religious order to return to Lima.
The building displays a fusion of Spanish colonial construction techniques with Inca masonry, where pre-Hispanic stones are visibly integrated into the colonial framework. Walking through the courtyards and rooms, visitors can observe how these two building traditions were combined in the same structure.
The building now operates as a hotel with fully renovated rooms and modern amenities for guests. Its location allows easy walking access to the main plaza and other attractions throughout the historic district.
Following a major earthquake in 1650, the building was damaged and materials from it were later reused in other Cusco structures. These stones can be found today in various city buildings, showing how construction materials circulated during colonial times.
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