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So much for a vow of poverty

March 27, 2020 | Michael Turtle | 8 Comments

RELIGIOUS SANCTUARY

Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru

The story of the Santa Catalina Monastery in Arequipa has always been about money. So much for a vow of poverty.

The founders of Arequipa decided to establish a monastery early in the history of the city, in the 16th century. They set aside some land and construction began.

But before it was even finished, a wealthy young widow called Doña María de Guzmán decided she wanted to retire from public life and join the monastery. She became the first resident and brought with her a lot of money.

This bought her the position of prioress and founder and, with all that cash, set about expanding the plans.

Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru
Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru

The Santa Catalina Monastery was officially founded in 1580 and, quite quickly, it began to attract women of wealth or from important Spanish families. This is probably understandable, considering it was effectively founded by a woman of both wealth and social stature.

Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru

Many of these new nuns didn’t want to give up their luxurious lives, though. They bought with them their servants and household goods.

Luxurious carpets, English china, silk curtains, paintings, lamps – these things all adorned the rooms of the women who had ostensibly come to dedicate their lives to God.

The families of these women also had to pay a dowry for them to be accepted – an amount that would be worth about US$150,000 today.

Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru
Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru

And so it continued like this for several centuries. When earthquakes damage the building, the families of the women paid for the repair work. The compound was expanded and single rooms were built for some of the nuns when the dormitory areas began to get too full.

It wasn’t until 1871 that the then pope, Pius IX, sent a strict Dominican nun to the monastery to makes things a bit more, well, pious. He had heard tales of what was happening at Santa Catalina, which had turned into more of a social club for the women than a place of religious devotion.

Apparently musical bands were being brought in to perform at parties, for instance.

Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru
Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru

This new head nun sent the rich women back to Europe and freed their servants and slaves, who were given the option of remaining as nuns. Major reforms took place and the monastery finally became a symbol of the vows that were supposed to define it.

Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru

At the height of the history of Santa Catalina Monastery, more than 450 people lived within its walls. Now, though, there are less than 20.

As the cash from the rich European families dried up, so did the ability to maintain the complex. Some of the structures were severely damaged by earthquakes and, until the 1970s, had no electricity or running water.

Money was again influencing the future of the monastery – just in a very different way to centuries earlier.

Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru
Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru

Eventually, with very little funding, the decision was made to open the monastery to the public and turn it into a tourist attraction. The remaining dozen or so nuns retreated to a small area within the compound and the rest became a museum.

With the expansion over the years, the monastery feels like a city within a city. It is enormous and takes a couple of hours to walk through and explore properly.

There are proper streets criss-crossing the site between buildings, leading to cloisters, chapels, residences, halls and kitchens – all stretching out across an area about two hectares in size.

Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru
Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru
Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru

Through it all are beautiful paintings, European-styled streets, flowers, gardens and peaceful areas for quiet reflection. Many of the buildings were constructed with a volcanic stone called sillar with carvings and decorative features.

Although heavily-influenced by Spanish styles, the design is fused with indigenous elements, giving the whole complex a unique colonial feel.

Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru

The tall stone walls around the monastery had long kept out the curious – firstly those who were perhaps envious of the luxury and then those who didn’t understand the poverty. Now, though, visiting Santa Catalina is a highlight of a trip to Arequipa.

To see a bit more of the city and get the most of your time, I would suggest one of these tours:

 

Or learn a bit more about the city and explore it yourself. Either way, don’t miss it!

>> Read my story about the World Heritage city of Arequipa <<

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN AREQUIPA

I would recommend staying in the historic centre of Arequipa. It’s the most beautiful part and there’s lots of great accommodation.

BACKPACKER

I would recommend Friendly AQP as a really comfortable backpacker option.

BUDGET

There are lots of affordable hotels but I think El Portal De San Lázaro is one of the best value.

BOUTIQUE

For something more upmarket, Palla Boutique Hotel is beautiful and has an incredible rooftop!

LUXURY

And when it comes to luxury, I think the nicest hotel in the city is CIRQA – Relais & Châteaux.

Peru Travel Guide

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT PERU?

See my Peru Travel Guide

To help you plan your trip to Peru:

  • The best things to do in Peru – a complete list!
  • What you need to know about visiting Machu Picchu
  • A wonderful alternative to the crowded Inca Trail trek
  • The story behind the Incan city of Cusco
  • Why Colca Canyon is one of Peru’s special natural sights
  • The incredible Nazca Lines and what they might mean
  • See this ancient mud city before it’s gone!
  • Hiking in the Andes from Huaraz
  • The site of the first civilisation in the Americas
  • An ancient tribe of sex and drugs
  • What to expect in the second-largest city of Arequipa

Let someone else do the work for you:

You may also want to consider taking a Peru tour, rather than organising everything on your own. It’s also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo.

I am a ‘Wanderer’ with G Adventures and they have great tours in Peru.

You could consider:

  • The Inca Journey (10 days)
  • Absolute Peru (21 days)
  • National Geographic Journey (16 days)

When I travel internationally, I always get insurance. It’s not worth the risk, in case there’s a medical emergency or another serious incident. I recommend you use World Nomads for your trip.

Reader Interactions

    Comments Cancel reply

  1. Marina from MadeinMoments.com |

    October 30, 2014 at 3:08 pm

    Reply

    Oh this sounds like a wonderful place to visit!

  2. Carmen |

    October 30, 2014 at 3:30 pm

    Reply

    If I was going to live like a nun… well parties with live music would be a good way to go about it 😉 Thanks for sharing. Arequipa was our favourite city in Peru!

  3. Ian and Sue Roberts |

    October 30, 2014 at 11:16 pm

    Reply

    Wow Michael. You never cease to amaze! Another finely crafted piece with eye-catching pics. Love your work

  4. Jason Thomas |

    October 31, 2014 at 4:25 am

    Reply

    Hi Michael, we are from Sydney and were there today as well. What a small world sometimes. It was interesting to me to see how they eventually all shared a common sleeping area and thinking it must have been quite a shock after having private bedrooms (with servants). I look forward to your future articles!

  5. Martina Donkers |

    November 15, 2014 at 11:15 am

    Reply

    Hey again Michael

    These pictures are absolutely wonderful, they really draw you in and make you feel like you’re there in the buildings too.

    And what a fascinating story. The idea of having to pay $150,000 to get into a supposedly pious and devout monastery just kind of boggles the mind! I wonder what they got up to at those parties…?

    Are any parts still in use? While it’s a clever idea to turn it into a tourist attraction, it seems a shame that such in such a big facility the people who live there are relegated to a tiny corner in the back. Depends of what the goals are I guess…

    Martina 🙂

  6. zulqarnain malik |

    November 15, 2014 at 10:19 pm

    Reply

    Very informative
    Thankz

  7. zulqarnain malik |

    November 15, 2014 at 10:20 pm

    Reply

    very informative
    thankz

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This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.

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