Puno Cathedral

The Basílica Catedral San Carlos Borromeo was completed in 1757 and its front is the reason to stop: a facade of grey volcanic stone carved in the mestizo baroque of the altiplano, with columns wrapped in vines, flowers, fruit, sirens and faces, a style that blends European ornament with Andean motifs and appears across this region and around Lake Titicaca. The mason credited with it, Simón de Asto, was an indigenous craftsman, and his name is recorded on the building - unusual for the period. The interior is by contrast plain, largely rebuilt after fires, with a silver-clad altar and a carved wooden pulpit. Puno's square sits at 3,830 metres and the cathedral fronts it directly, so most visitors arriving for Lake Titicaca see it in passing. The Candelaria festival in February fills the square in front of it.

What you'll find

• The facade - grey stone carved with vines, fruit, sirens and faces.
• The mestizo baroque - European form with Andean ornament, typical of the altiplano.
• Simón de Asto - the indigenous master mason credited by name on the building.
• The plain interior - rebuilt after fires, with a silver-faced altar.

When to go

April to November for weather. Thirty to sixty minutes. February brings Candelaria, when the square outside is the centre of the festival.

Practical notes

The interior is much plainer than the front suggests. At 3,830 metres, newly arrived visitors tire quickly. Services limit access at times. The square is busy with traffic and vendors.

Nearby

The Puno port for Titicaca boats is downhill; the Yavarí is moored nearby.

Key facts