The Artistic Heritage of the Colonial Temple of Anta: Baroque and Devotional Expressions in the Andean South

Abstract

The content presents the oral traditions that explain the miraculous appearance of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception in the former settlement of Anta during the early colonial period, according to which the Virgin manifested herself in a cactus grove known as hawaqollay, an event that led first to the construction of an initial chapel and later to the main church, involving children, local caciques and ecclesiastical authorities who were believed to have witnessed the apparitions; it further examines the process of enthroning the Marian image, noting that the original sculpture—possibly linked to the Cusco School—was destroyed in the fire of 1936, and highlights the role of encomenderos and bishops in the building, consolidation and consecration of the church under the dedication of the Immaculate Conception; likewise, it analyses the construction initiated in 1666 under the supervision of the Bishopric of Cusco with active community participation, describing the architectural features, materials, dimensions and principal structural elements of the building, as well as its state of conservation prior to the 1998 restoration, which revealed damage caused by humidity, structural deterioration and loss of surface finishes; finally, it emphasises the rich heritage value of the church of Anta, expressed in the coexistence of original colonial elements with structures rebuilt after the fire and in the presence of altars and Baroque works of notable artistic quality that reinforce its historical, cultural and religious significance.