Colegio San Bernardo, Colonial educational building in Cusco, Peru
Colegio San Bernardo is a stone and adobe building in Cusco with an elevated entrance, Spanish colonial architecture, and traditional tiled roofs spanning multiple floors. The structure features rooms arranged around an interior courtyard, typical of colonial-era design.
The college was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1619 and received its Royal College status from Viceroy Francisco de Borja in 1620. The building survived centuries and underwent structural improvements following the 1950 earthquake that affected the region.
The ground floor displays a permanent exhibition of photographs showing the evolution of Cusco province, alongside regional artworks that reflect local creative traditions.
The building is located on Calle San Bernardo and is maintained by the Provincial Municipality of Cusco, making it easily accessible on foot. The ground floor exhibition is open to visitors and provides good access to view the displays.
The foundation incorporates large Inca stones, while the walls combine adobe construction methods, showing an architectural fusion of two civilizations. This technique of integrating existing Inca stonework was common in buildings erected after the Spanish conquest to respect local building traditions.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
