La Compania Church, Arequipa (must see)

Situated in Arequipa's historic center, Iglesia de la Compañía is another reminder of the glorious religious legacy left by colonists and Jesuit priests. It took more than one hundred years to build this church. The Baroque-style facade is considered to be a masterpiece of South American Colonial architecture. It features motifs from pre-Hispanic Native American mythology. Inside the temple there is a beautifully carved wooden altar covered with gold leaf decorations. The walls are ornamented with paintings by Bernardo Bitti, an Italian artist who came to Peru at the end of the 16th century.