Recoleta Monastery
Convento de La Recoleta
A Franciscan monastery on the west bank of the Chili River, home to a library of 20,000 rare books and an exhibit of Amazonian ethnographic objects.
Founded by the Franciscans in 1648, the monastery is now a museum with several cloistered courtyards. Its most famous feature is the antiquarian library, which holds about 20,000 books and old maps dating from the 15th century onward. Other displays include ethnographic objects from the Amazonian missions, stuffed animal specimens, pre-Columbian artifacts, and colonial-era oil paintings. You can climb the bell tower for a panoramic view of the city. It's about a 15-minute walk from Plaza de Armas across the Grau Bridge, and it's usually uncrowded.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Casa del Moral
- Santa Catalina Monastery
- Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa
- Plaza de Armas of Arequipa
- Mirador de Yanahuara
- Museo Santuarios Andinos
- Casa Tristán del Pozo
- Basilica and Convent of San Francisco