The White City of Arequipa

The first week of our trip, we raced around southern Peru by boat, dune buggy, sand board, tuk tuk, single-engine airplane, and Peru Hop tour bus. Finally, after a harrowing overnight bus ride on a winding two-lane highway, we made a one-week pit stop in the tranquil city of Arequipa.

Nicknamed the “white city” because it was originally populated by white-skinned Spanish Caucasians, and constructed almost entirely of white sillar building stone, Arequipa is a radiant city surrounded by three dramatic active volcanos. Despite frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions, we felt calm, cool and relaxed as we leisurely admired the history, culture, and Spanish colonial architecture in Perú’s second largest municipality.

In the early 16^th century, Francisco Pizarro and a mere 168 fellow Spaniards conquered the 10 million natives of the Inca empire. Shortly thereafter, the Spanish laid out the city of Arequipa using their conventional urban plan. In typical fashion, from a large central plaza, they expanded the city in a checkerboard pattern.

Wandering the right angles of the historic center, we often swore we were in southern Spain. Reminiscent of our travels in Andalucia, we treaded the cobblestone streets, and passed blooming bougainvillea and potted geraniums lining whitewashed walls of sillar stone.

In the heart of Arequipa’s historic center, the Spanish built a walled city within the city. Inside the five-acre stone fortress, the Santa Catalina Monastery sheltered cloistered Dominican nuns from wealthy Spanish families. Constructed in the Spanish-Muslem Mudéjar style, the white sillar building stones were thickly painted in vivid ochre and crimson tones.

One early morning, we were the first visitors to enter the monastery. With the morning sun accentuating the rich blushing walls, our engaging tour guide showed us lavish living quarters and even private cottages that the wealthy and privileged sisters inhabited.

During the colonial period, the wealthy and powerful Catholic Church also constructed other ornamental religious buildings in Arequipa. The oldest is the Church of the Compañia, whereupon the Andean baroque style originated. Characteristic of this regional decorative design, its carved sillar façade and interior artwork depict South American motifs, including birds, plants and native human figures. 

Besides being easy to carve, sillar stone is lightweight, strong enough to withstand stresses, and has a porosity that acts as a thermal insulator. Geologically, sillar is an ignimbrite, formed when hot volcanic ash flows or falls from an andesitic volcanic eruption. Just outside Arequipa, we went to the rock quarry where the sillar stone is excavated.

Looming high above the quarry is the Chachani Volcano, which ejected the stupendous volumes of ash that produced the thick layers of white sillar building stone. Since continued eruptions and associated earthquakes have destroyed buildings in Arequipa on multiple occasions, the volcano literally giveth and the volcano taketh away.

Thanks to the infinite supply of bright white sillar building stone, this charming Spanish colonial city continues to shine amidst its magnificent but destructive volcanos. After a fast-pace start to our Peru trip, it was a pleasure to decelerate, stay put for a week, and absorb some history and culture in the white city of Arequipa.

Feature Photo: White sillar stone arches and Misti Volcano, from the Yanahuara Mirador, Arequipa

Blogger’s Note: We are both doing well and are enjoying a wonderful trip. After our week in Arequipa, we are planning to complete a three-day hiking trek into Colca Canyon, followed by a visit to Lake Titicaca.