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 A space for construction of the Cathedral was indicated at the time of the Spanish refoundation of the city in 1534. That space corresponded to the "Suntur Wasi", where effectively the ancient small church was built. Subsequently the cult necessities led to acquiring the lands close to the church in order to build the present-day Saint Cathedral Basilica that was started in 1560, over an area of about 4,000 m² (1 acre), and with original designs made by architect Juan Miguel de Veramendi. Some time before, the City Church Council had agreed upon to transport stones for the building from the "fortress"; that is, it was ordered to demolish Saqsaywaman in order to use the stones of its main walls made with andesites to be used in construction of the Cathedral. It was finished in 1654, after 94 years of work with delays and different inconveniences; designed and supervised by Spanish architects and priests, but performed with labor, sweat, tears and blood of the Inkas' descendants.
Qosqo's Cathedral is without any doubt, one of the most noticeable colonial monuments in America. Its structure belongs to the renaissance, and its ground plan has the shape of a Latin cross, with a transept that communicates with its two side-churches: the "Church of the Triumph" toward the east and the "Church of the Holy Family" toward the west. Today, the entrance for visiting the monument is through the " Church of the Triumph" that is found precisely in the same space of the ancient major church made over the "Suntur Wasi".
 It is known that three years after the arrival of Spanish invaders, Manko Inka began the war willing to recover his state. The Qosqo siege was produced and there was a time in which conquerors were almost completely defeated, all of them joined inside the "Suntur Wasi". Catholic tradition tells that right by that time the " Virgin of the Descent" came down from the heaven and made the miracle of giving Spaniards strength and intelligence so that they could finish victorious. Even more, Catholic tradition also tells that by those circumstances Saint James the Greater appeared riding his horse and began killing the Quechuas (Saint James the Greater is Spain's Patron Saint and over there he is known as "Moors-Killer" while that over here as "Indians-Killer"); thus, with the help of these two divinities, invaders could defeat the Inkas. That is the reason why it is named as the "Church of the Triumph", triumph of Spaniards over the Quechuas, triumph of Catholicism over the Inkan Religion. Outside, on its facade, on both sides of its entrance there are writings carved in stone dated in 1664 narrating the miracles. It is necessary to mention that most of the art works found here were made by the same epoch, in spite of that, the styles or schools are different; and they are mixed in most of the cases. The reason for this is that they were made mainly by native artists who did not have a long tradition neither defined schools in order to make works requested by Catholicism. More over, in painting in Qosqo City, the famous and recognized all over the continent " Cusquenian School" was developed. Europeans brought their techniques, styles and schools that were taught to the Inkas or their descendants, who took the artist's brush or the gouge in order to execute almost all the works of colonial art that are found in the region. Since the very beginning, the Quechua painters because of the church imposition and interests of evangelization could not freely use their imagination and were simply limited to copy scenes, pictures or paintings existing already in Europe.
Therefore, they could not paint their faces, Andean landscapes, neither they could sign their art works; that is why nowadays a large amount of them are anonymous. However, the Quechua artists mixed or placed some elements of their native world and religion in their art works, normally in a hidden and/or underhanded way. Nowadays, some authors of certain art works are known because contracts or agreements celebrated for their manufactures were found.
The Cathedral has one nave and two aisles: the "Epistle Aisle" toward the east, and the "Gospel Aisle" .
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