---

the colonial church of Andahuaylillas, considered the ´´Sistine Chapel´´ of the Americas, due to the quality of the works of art found inside. This church was built on some important Inkan construction, possibly a ´´Waka´´ since the bases of the church were made with carved andesites typical of Quechua religious architecture; in turn, in the surroundings there are remains of other Inka constructions, highlighting the transitional architecture portal (transition from Inka to colonial) on the western side of the church with sculptures of two quadrupeds on its lintel. It was the Jesuits who ordered the church to be built in the late sixteenth century, with quite wide adobe walls very common in colonial constructions, its relatively modest architectural structure is classic in the case of village churches. It has only one upper bell tower and a fairly ornate facade with frescoes and two solid outstanding stone columns, between which is the main door with a semicircular arch, on top of which there is a very old balcony behind which there are even more frescoes.



It is in the district of the province of Quispicanchis about 40 km east of the city of Qosqo and 3100 meters above sea level. Its original name was Antawaylla (´´anta´´: copper, ´´waylla´´: prairie) translating as ´ ´pradera copperiza´´, which was later Spanishized in ´´Andahuaylas´´; but since there is a larger province with the same name in the department of Apurimac, its name was transformed into a diminutive to avoid confusion. Andahuaylillas is a very cozy town, with a rather benign sheltered climate as a result of being surrounded by mountains and on the left bank of the ´´Vilcanota´´ river that is called ´´Urubamba´´ below; its lands have a privileged fertility and its people are calm and friendly.



Entering the church through its main door, inside, to the left is the baptistery, around its semicircular entrance is the inscription ´´I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Spirit Holy, Amen´´; the interesting thing is that this inscription is in the five languages ​​in force at the time of the church's construction: Latin, Spanish, Quechua, Pukina and Aymara (Pukina is today an extinct language). On the back face of the façade, that is to say inside, and on both sides of the door there are murals that represent a profane and attractive way that is very crowded that leads to hell and another virtuous one to heaven.



Outside, to one side of the atrium of the church there are three crosses sculpted in andesite, all large, the central one being larger; These represent the Holy Trinity of Catholicism, that is, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

---