Buying Art in Arequipa
Stonework & more
Old buildings in Arequipa are made with “sillar,” volcanic ash that has petrified into pumice. The demand for new buildings of sillar has dried up, and those who work the quarries now make sculptures to sell to tourists.
Arequipa also has a thriving textile industry, ceramics and jewelry. Those who appreciate religious art must tour the cathedral on the Plaza de Armas. Among the many priceless pieces of art is the carved wooden pulpit, famous for its sculpture of the devil being crushed under the pulpit.