Museum of the Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena

Cusco City · Cusco · Peru

Founded in Arequipa in 1601, the Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena was moved to Cusco after a series of natural disasters struck in the 17th century. Today it is a museum of monastic life, home to a fascinating collection of artworks discovered during the monastery's restoration. The surviving paintings are a perfect example of what became known as the Cusco School, which brought together the styles, stories, and influences of two cultures: Inca and Spanish. All the paintings are religious in nature, executed with remarkable technique and finished with gold leaf.