The story
Take a deep breath and let your eyes wander across the white-washed walls and bright blue balconies that frame this square. You have climbed the steep, narrow cobblestones to reach the Plazoleta de San Blas, the soul of Cusco’s creative spirit. Long before the Spanish arrived, the Incas called this district T’oqokachi, meaning the salt cave.
It was a sacred place, home to ancient shrines and panoramic views that guarded the imperial city below. Today, it is known as the Barrio de los Artesanos, a neighborhood where the air itself seems to vibrate with the legacy of master craftsmen. As you stand here in the plaza, listen to the gentle splash of the central fountain.
This space serves as the communal living room for Cusco’s most famous artistic dynasties. Families like the Mendívils, the Olaves, and the Méridas have lived and worked in these surrounding workshops for generations. If you peer into the galleries nearby, you might notice figures of saints and virgins with elegantly elongated necks.
This is the signature style of the Mendívil family, said to be inspired by the graceful posture of the wild llamas that roam the high Andean plateaus. Dominating the square is the Templo de San Blas. While its adobe exterior is modest compared to the grand Cathedral in the main plaza, what lies inside is one of the greatest treasures of the Americas.
Within its cool, hushed interior stands the famous San Blas Pulpit. It is a breathtaking masterpiece of woodcarving, intricately hewn from a single block of cedar. Local legend says it was carved by a master craftsman who was dying of leprosy and was miraculously cured as he finished the work.
The detail is so fine that it looks almost like lace frozen in wood, a testament to the devotion that defines this neighborhood. As you wander away from the fountain and into the narrow arteries like Tandapata or Siete Borreguitos, you will feel the transition from the colonial to the bohemian. These streets are a labyrinth of hidden courtyards, vegan cafes, and workshops where the scent of palo santo and fresh clay lingers in the doorways.
Look down at the stones beneath your feet; many are original Inca foundations, serving as the literal bedrock for the Spanish structures built on top of them. San Blas is a place of duality—where the ancient Inca masonry meets the baroque, and where tradition meets modern creativity. As the sun begins to dip, the city of Cusco below begins to sparkle like a carpet of gold.
Stay a while. Let the quiet energy of the artisans inspire you. Here, in the highest corner of the city, history isn’t just something you read about; it is something being carved, painted, and woven into existence every single day.