The story
Welcome to the heart of San Blas, Cusco’s most soulful and artistic neighborhood. As you stand before the humble, white-washed facade of the Templo de San Blas, you might be tempted to think this is just another colonial church. But step inside, and you will find yourself in the presence of one of the greatest woodcarving masterpieces in the world.
This church was built in the 1560s on the foundations of an ancient Inca temple dedicated to Illapa, the god of thunder and lightning. Even today, as you walk the narrow, steep cobblestone streets surrounding the plaza, you can feel that ancient energy mingling with the creativity of the modern painters and weavers who call these blue-doored workshops home. As you enter the dim, cool interior, your eyes will naturally be drawn to the pulpit.
It is a breathtaking explosion of cedar wood, carved with such impossible detail that it seems to defy the gravity of the material. This is the Púlpito de San Blas, the finest example of Churrigueresque, or ultra-baroque, carving in the Americas. Legend tells us it was carved from a single, massive trunk of cedar by an indigenous master named Juan Tomás Tuyru Túpac.
Stories say that Tuyru Túpac was a leper who was miraculously cured after he had a vision of the Virgin Mary. In a feat of devotion that took decades to complete, he transformed the wood into a dense forest of saints, cherubs, and intricate vines. Look closely at the very top of the pulpit’s canopy.
You will see a human skull resting beneath the feet of Saint Paul. Local lore insists this is the actual skull of the sculptor himself. He supposedly requested that his remains be placed there so he could listen to the word of God for all eternity, watching over the masterpiece he gave his life to create.
As you walk around the base, notice the eight busts representing the doctors of the church, and the central image of Saint Blas, the patron of the parish. Every inch is a dialogue between Spanish religious themes and Andean craftsmanship. The golden glow of the nearby altars, covered in gold leaf, illuminates the dark, polished wood, creating an atmosphere of profound mystery.
When you eventually step back outside into the bright Andean sun, take a moment to look at the belfry. From this height, the red-tiled roofs of Cusco spread out below you like a sea of clay. San Blas is a place where time slows down.
I encourage you to wander the nearby Calle Tandapata, where the descendants of those master carvers still work their magic in wood and stone today. Turn off your guide for a moment and simply listen to the quiet rhythm of this ancient, artistic hill.