San Francisco de Asis de Marcapata
The church of San Francisco de Asís exemplifies the “Andean baroque,” a form of architecture that emerged from the intersection of Spanish and local culture during the colonial period.
A Jewel of Andean Baroque Architecture
Located in Marcapata, an Andean town 3,100 meters above sea level whose climate is influenced by its proximity to the upper jungle, the church of San Francisco de Asís was built between the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. It exemplifies Andean baroque architecture, which emerged from the intersection of Spanish and local culture during the colonial period.
A Unique Feature
It is one of the few religious buildings in Peru that maintains a thatched roof (supported in this case by a frame of wood and reeds), giving this important site its special character.
For over four centuries, the thatch cover has been changed every four years in a ceremony involving nine nearby communities in a week-long celebration called repaje in Spanish or wasichacuy in Quechua. This ritual was declared National Intangible Heritage by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture in 2015.
Damage and Deterioration
The church has suffered damage due to natural aging and insufficient resources for its maintenance.
In the absence of appropriate drainage, rainwater infiltration has caused the internal structure of the roof to deteriorate, leading in turn to damage to the murals that decorate the walls and ceiling of the church. In addition, the transmission of the repaje skills from generation to generation is threatened by changing community demographics.
A Technical Proposal
Since the inclusion of San Francisco de Asís de Marcapata on the 2010 World Monuments Watch, WMF has encouraged local and regional stakeholders to join efforts to undertake condition assessments. As a result, from 2017 until 2021 WMF Peru jointly with the Archdiocese of Cusco, and the Parish of Marcapata, funded and developed technical studies for the conservation of the church. This technical proposal was handed over to the Regional Office of the Ministry of Culture in Cusco (DDC Cusco), who are in charge of the project’s execution.
At a public event in July 2021, DDC Cusco presented the conservation documents to the Marcapata communities and by mid-October 2022, started the intervention in the church.
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Our Supporters
World Monuments Fund’s work at San Francisco de Asis de Marcapata has been made possible, in part, by the Archdiocese of Cusco, the Parish of Andahuaylillas, the Parish of San Francisco de Asís of Marcapata, the Society of Jesus, and the Regional Office of the Ministry of Culture in Cusco.