Project

In the 16th and 17th centuries colonial Catholic missions were established in the Oyón Valley in Peru and built in a style described as Rural Andean Baroque. The small Andean town of Rapaz sits 3,000 meters above sea level and is home to one of 40 churches located in Oyón—San Cristóbal de Rapaz, considered one of the best-preserved churches in the area. (...)

In the 16th and 17th centuries colonial Catholic missions were established in the Oyón Valley in Peru and built in a style described as Rural Andean Baroque. The small Andean town of Rapaz sits 3,000 meters above sea level and is home to one of 40 churches located in Oyón—San Cristóbal de Rapaz, considered one of the best-preserved churches in the area. A special feature of the church is a cycle of 27 magnificently painted murals. The church’s decorative campaigns blend Indian craftsmanship, references to Pre-Columbian beliefs and deities, and Baroque Christian traditions. The adobe walls and wooden beams are covered with paintings of religious and pagan motifs. Today, Rapaz is a town of about 700 people; many in the community have migrated to cities in search of better employment opportunities. This loss of population in this remote Andean community, coupled with a lack of sufficient technical expertise, has contributed to the deterioration of the church.