Casa del Moral


In the second largest city of Peru - Arequipa - there are many interesting sights . It is the monastery of Santa Catalina , the cathedral , the canyons of Kolka and Kotauasi and others. Another interesting place is the Casa del Moral (Casa del Moral) - a well-preserved monument of the Baroque period. Let's find out more about this unusual building.

Properties Casa del Moral

The name of this ancestral mansion is derived from the word "moras". This mulberry tree, which grows in the courtyard of the house for several centuries. Earlier here at different times lived several aristocratic families of Arequipa. The mansion suffered twice from earthquakes (in 1784 and 1868), after which it was rebuilt. At the present time, the Casa del Moral building belongs to BancoSur, the currency fund. The last time it was restored not long ago with the financial assistance of the English consul in Arequipa.

The facades of the building are made of carved white stone. By the way, the city of Arequipa is not in vain called "white city", because most of its buildings of the XVIII century are made of silar - light volcanic stone. Also on the side of the main facade of the house there are beautiful carved windows.

The gate of the mansion deserves special attention. They are decorated with tufa carvings, with unsurpassed art executed by medieval craftsmen. It represents the heads of cougars, from the mouths of which snakes erupt. Also on the gate is a coat of arms, supported by two angels, a crown over it, a castle, birds and two crossed keys.

The entrance to the Casa del Moral is via double doors decorated with a bronze lock, bolt and key. Through them, visitors enter the central courtyard, which has a rectangular shape. It is paved with a hewn stone and boulders - such an unusual pavement is somewhat like a chessboard. This yard is considered a parade, it is painted in ocher and is open to tourists. In the mansion there are two more courtyards - the second one, the blue one (to go into the kitchen) and the third one (for servants, horses and other animals). These rooms are for private use only.

The interior of the mansion is no less luxurious. There you can see the furniture preserved from the colonial and republican eras, the library with a huge collection of Latin American literature of those times, as well as a rich collection of Cuscan paintings. In Casa del Moral's mansion there are a lot of halls and rooms, each of which is interesting in its own way. This is a dining room and bedrooms, a library and two picture rooms, guest rooms and conversations. Very interesting and so-called hall of ancient maps of America, containing a collection of ancient maps and engravings of the XVI - XVII centuries. And from the roof of the building a chic panorama of the three volcanoes surrounding Arequipa opens: Misti , Chachani and Pichu-Pichu.

How to get to Casa del Moral?

You can fly to Arequipa from Cusco or Lima by plane or by public transport . The international airport is located 8 km from the city. Intercity bus service in Peru is quite well developed. The mansion itself is located in the center of Arequipa, a couple of blocks from the Chile River. Get to Casa del Moral can be on one of the buses, cruising around the city.