Discover Juliaca

Juliaca’s cultural themes range from the datable history of church construction to handicrafts on display. The two churches represent different timelines; the city museum and Galería Artesanal las Calceteras add to this perspective with their exhibitions. A church festival is celebrated on a set date each year. Depending on your interests, you can focus on historical building phases, religious tradition, or forms of craftsmanship.

Churches and Their Historical Timelines

Construction of the Templo Matriz de Santa Catalina in Juliaca began in 1649, commissioned by the Jesuits. The temple was completed in 1774, after 125 years of construction. This period has a clear start and end point: rather than a single construction year, its creation can be understood as a long, explicitly dated process.

The Templo Matriz de Santa Catalina was declared a Historic Monument by R.S. No. 2900-72-ED of December 28, 1972, and by Law No. 10028 of November 24, 1944. From the Plaza de Armas in Juliaca, a 50-meter walk along a paved route leads to the temple; the walk takes approximately five minutes.

The Templo de la Merced, also called the Templo de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, was built at the end of the 19th century. Its inauguration in 1889 was followed by a second inauguration in 1959; the interior was extensively renovated in 1995. These different dates refer to its construction, two inaugurations, and later work on the interior.

For Santa Catalina, the start and completion dates frame its 125-year construction; for the Templo de la Merced, two inaugurations and an interior renovation are noted in addition to its construction. This comparison helps prevent reducing the history of either church to a single construction year: one timeline follows the building process, while the other encompasses several milestones.

The Festival at the Templo de la Merced

At the Virgen de las Mercedes celebration, held annually on September 24 at the Templo de la Merced, up to 40 folk dance groups perform in front of the church portal during Mass, the procession, and the act of veneration. The dances include Morenada, Tinkus, Caporales, Tobas, and Oros. The dance styles give the celebration a folkloric focus; Mass, the procession, and veneration provide its religious setting. If you would like to experience the celebration, check the dates before your trip.

City Museum and Handicrafts

The Museo Municipal de la Ciudad de Juliaca has been housed in the Casa de la Cultura since 2001 and has a permanent exhibition space. Check whether the museum is currently open before your visit.

The first floor of the Galería Artesanal las Calceteras displays textiles made from sheep’s wool and alpaca fiber, pottery, hats, and flat-woven textiles. The various exhibits offer different points of interest: the textiles are explicitly described as using two fiber materials, alongside pottery, headwear, and flat-woven textiles.

The topics differ considerably for planning purposes: the festival takes place on September 24 each year, while the churches’ dates serve as a historical reference. The walk to Santa Catalina also provides specific details about the distance, surface, and approximate walking time from the Plaza de Armas.

Discover more destinations: Ocosuyo, Ayculaca, Mañazo, Capachica, Tambopata, Anapia, Tililaca, Isla Suasi

For the main travel overview: Puno.