THE TRIBUNAL OF THE HOLY INQUISITION

There is little or no doubt that the Holy Office or Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition has been one of the most debated and worst comprehended through all times. It was instituted by King Philip the Second on February 7th in 1569 and one year later started its activities in Peru as a provincial subsidiary to the Consejo de la Suprema y General Inquisición Espanola.

The first inquisitors were the lawyer Serván de Cerezuela and the doctor Andrés de Bustamante. Nevertheless, it was the former who in fact took the task in the District of Lima because the latter died during his trip from Spain to Lima. With them were named a prosecutor, a secretary and a notary. With the passing of times, the number of inquisitors and lesser personnel rapidly grew.

Its first seat was the Church of San Agustín, but soon it became apparent that the place was insufficient in size. It was then that the attorney Cerezuela asked to acquire the by then residence of the oidor Paredes, in front of the Church of La Merced, which was done. Some years later this precinct ceased to be suitable, due to the "curiosity of the people of Lima" that attracted too many unwanted visitors that, straining their senses, tried to get acquainted with what was happening in its interiors.

So in 1584 it moved to the small square del Estanque, known today as Plaza Bolívar Square. The construction consisted of the Courtrooms, twelve excommunicated jails, a Camara del Secreto or Chamber of the Secret with its -still preserved- brick vaults, the Sala del Secreto or Hall of the Secret, Sala de Respeto or Hall of Respect, Sala de Audiencias or Hall of Hearings, plus offices, a house for the inquisitor, rooms for the warden and for the doorman and a sumptuous Chapel with a door to the Square itself.

The Tribunal was endowed to fight against the heresies and to prosecute Protestantism, Judaism, as well as blasphemies and all kind of sexual deviations. Its sole objective was the white population, weather Spaniard or foreign, the indigenous people were excluded from its jurisdiction by express orders of the King.

The scholars presume that along its history, the Tribunal must have processed at least three thousand citizens from Peru, Bolivia and other countries that conformed the Vice Royalty of Peru

MUSEUM OF THE CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC.

In this Museum the visitor will get a close look to the history of the Congress of the Republic that represents the evolution through time of the Legislative Power starting from its beginnings, on September 20th of 1822, to the present days.

The Museum also keeps an interesting collection of documents concerning the Congress of the Republic of Peru.

The tourists visiting the Museum are attended by expert guides that will diligently explain the history and functioning of the Tribunal of the Inquisition as of the Congress of the Republic. These guided visits are done in Spanish, English, French, German, Italian and Portuguese. There can be acquired the several publications edited by the Congress of the Republic, as well as T-shirts, magnetic directories, pocket belts, etc. It also contains a coffee shop that will make the visit more pleasant.

Location: 548 Jiron. Junín Street - Plaza Bolívar Square. At 300 metres from the Plaza Mayor Main Square.
Phone: (01) 428-7980 apart 2537.
Schedule of visits: Mondays to Sundays, 9:00 am to 5:15 pm.

MUSEUM OF ART AND HISTORY OF THE MAJOR NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SAN MARCOS

The Casona (an old and typical mansion) of San Marcos University takes in the Cultural Centre of the University, the latter, in its turn, shelters the Museum of Art and History.

It was founded in the year of 1919 by the renowned historian Dr. Julio C. Tello, Father of the Peruvian Archaeology. His major discovery was of the Chavín de Huantar Culture, whose collection stands as the main exhibit in the Museum.

This entity also brings a collection of pictorial reproductions of the great masters of painting from the 16th through 20th centuries of Peru and a collection of popular arts.

The latter comprises more than a thousand objects proceeding from the Regions of Ayacucho, Junín, Cusco and Puno. They are works done by some renowned artisans, like the altarpiece master Joaquín Lopez Antay, the imager Hilario Mendívil and the ceramist Leoncio Tineo.

It also contains an important collection with 143 portraits of illustrious characters of the University from the 16th Century to the 20th Century. One part of it is exhibited in the Sala de Exposición Permanente Permanent Exhibit Hall, along with 16 canvas paintings that were restored by means of a covenant between Peru and Spain.

Among the main characters of San Marcos are many rectors and scholars that were at the same time members of the Santo Oficio, along with renowned jurists, statesmen and intellectuals of the Colonial times.

It also contains a hall for temporary expositions devoted to paint and sculpture.

Location: 1222 Avenida Nicolás de Piérola Avenue - Lima.
Phone: (511) 427-4870.