Arequipa: Peru's White City Under Three Volcanoes
Arequipa — Peru's second city, at 2,335m — is built almost entirely from white sillar volcanic stone; the UNESCO-listed historic centre, the Santa Catalina Convent, and the three volcanoes (Misti, Chachani, El Misti) that frame the city make it one of South America's most beautiful
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Sillar stone architecture
Arequipa's distinctive architecture is built of herrings - the white volcanic stone quarried from the surrounding Andra; the workability of the stone and its white color have created a unified architectural aesthetic; the carved baroque facades of the churches and mansions glisten in the intense Andean sun
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Plaza de Armas
Arequipa's Plaza de Armas — one of South America's finest colonial squares — is framed by the cathedral (200 meters wide, the widest in Peru), the colonial arcades and the Misti volcano behind; the proportions of the square and the background of the volcano create an extraordinary urban composition
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El Misti Volcano
El Misti – the perfect conical volcano at 5,822m that dominates Arequipa's skyline – is one of the world's most iconic volcanoes; active but still, it is visible from the city on most days; the peak has been climbed since before the Inca era and is one of Peru's classic climbs
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UNESCO World Heritage Site
The historic center of Arequipa was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 - the baroque architecture, colonial monasteries and silarstone construction are all mentioned; the designation covers 332 hectares of the city center
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Colonial Arcades
The colonial arcades that surround the Plaza de Armas - 50 carved stone arches - protect the restaurants and shops at the edge of the square; The baroque detail of the arcades, the colored cafe umbrellas beneath them and the social life they frame are the hallmarks of the square
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Chachani and Pichu Pichu
The two other volcanoes flanking Misti - Chachani (6,057 m) and Pichu Pichu (5,664 m) - complete the three volcanic framework around Arequipa; the combination of the white city below and the three volcanoes above creates a panorama unlike any other Andean city
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More in Arequipa
Colca Canyon: Condors Above the World's Deepest Gorge
Arequipa Cuisine: Peru's Second Capital of Gastronomy
Collagua Textiles: The Living Art of the Colca Valley
Climbing El Misti: The Volcano Above Arequipa
Arequipa's Mestizo Baroque: Churches of Sillar Stone
