What to see? Cajamarca Province The Santa Catalina Cathedral
Jirón Cruz de Piedra s/n, Main Square. The Cathedral was built under orders dictated by a 1655 royal cedula which decreed the establishment of a parish of Spaniards in the city. The facade of the temple, which gained the title of cathedral in 1682, is one of the finest examples of Peruvian Baroque, with its columns, cornices and carved alcoves. The main altar and the pulpit were worked in wood and gold leaf.
The Church of San Francisco
Jirón Dos de Mayo s/n. Opening hours of the Museum of Religious Art and the Crypts. Mon-Sat 10:00 am - 12:00 pm / 4:00- 6:00 pm. Ticket entry to the museum. Under the church’s main altar are crypts of Franciscans and of members of the indigenous nobility.
The Ransom Room
Jirón Amalia Puga 750. Opening hours, Tues-Sun: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm / 2:30 - 6:00 pm. Ticket entry. The only Inca structure remaining in the city has stone walls with trapezoidal form. It is known for having been the prison of the Inca Atahualpa, who offered Francisco Pizarro to fill the room two times over with silver and once with gold in exchange for his freedom.
The Belén Monumental Complex
Jirón Belén, cuadra 6. Opening hours, Tues-Sun: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm / 2:30 - 6:00 pm. Ticket entry. The complex includes the Baroque-style temple, the Medical Museum and the Archeological and Ethnographic Museum.
The Santa Apolonia Lookout
Jirón Dos de Mayo, two blocks from the Main Square. Opening hours, Mon - Sun: 7:00 am - 6:30 pm. Ticket entry. This hill was historically known as Rumi Tiana (”seat of stone” in quechua). A stairway leads to the summit, from where there is a privileged view of the city and the valley. The stairway also passes a chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Fatima. In the surroundings we also find pre-Inca remains such as the so-called Silla del Inca.
The Monjas Concepcionistas Descalzas Church and Convent
The intersection of Jirón Urrelo and Jirón Amalia Puga. It was built using adobe, brick and stone. This temple is notable for the austerity of its architecture.
La Recoleta Church and Convent
The intersection of Avenida El Maestro and Avenida Los Héroes. Opening hours, Mon - Fri 06:30 am - 12:30 pm / 2:30 pm - 10:30 pm, Sat 2:30 pm - 10:30 pm, Sun 06:00 am - 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm - 10:30 pm. The church and the convent were built during the second half of the 17th century.