Between 2008 and 2011, WMF and WMF France provided funds to develop and implement a comprehensive conservation plan for the church to include the restoration of the choir, main façade, chapels, sanctuary artesonado ceiling, altars, mural paintings, paintings on canvas, and religious statuary. (...)
Between 2008 and 2011, WMF and WMF France provided funds to develop and implement a comprehensive conservation plan for the church to include the restoration of the choir, main façade, chapels, sanctuary artesonado ceiling, altars, mural paintings, paintings on canvas, and religious statuary. The project also included the cataloguing of artistic objects, the installation of an alarm system, and the implementation of a public information program titled “Abierto por Obras” (Open for Restoration). The WMF project team, the Parish of Andahuaylillas, and the National Institute of Culture (now Ministry of Culture) collaborated on the landmark designation for the historic town of Andahuaylillas, which was achieved in 2010.
In 2009, a three-year youth heritage program was launched, aimed at promoting interest among the local youth, encouraging them to explore the works of their ancestors and providing them with the skills and opportunities that will enable them to become actively involved in the protection, interpretation, and promotion of their cultural heritage. After the completion of their training program in 2012, the group formed a non-for-profit association called “Grupo Patrimonio Qoriorqo,” and they are currently working on the documentation of local traditions, the development of an interactive map of Andahuaylillas, the organization of Heritage Day 2013, and the organization of a series of workshops aimed at engaging the local authorities, school teachers, students, and community leaders in the protection of the heritage of the entire province of Quispicanchi.
On October 31, 2012, members of the community, officials, and representatives of WMF, and other funders celebrated the completion of the four-year conservation and restoration project at an event in the church.
Additional WMF funds were provided in 2013 to support a final phase of work, which includes seismic retrofitting of the choir, sanctuary arch, and tower, waterproofing for the nave roof, conservation of the rediscovered mural painting of the Immaculate Virgin, and the publication of a book about the history and restoration of the church and the town of Andahuaylillas.
