Vibrantly Intense Colors of Santa Catalina !!!

It is beautiful, historic, serene, quiet and last but not the least, vibrantly colorful. Founded in 1579, the Santa Catalina Monastery is like a mini city within the city of Arequipa. Women from diverse social backgrounds joined the monastery to serve as nuns. The families of the nuns built individual houses for them within the monastery. Some of the nuns' houses are very simple with a small room and a kitchen while others are much bigger with multiple rooms and two kitchens. Our guide explained that young daughters of wealthy families lived and grew up in those big individual houses with servants and maids. As they became teenagers, they became nuns in the monastery! 

A small part of the monastery is still in use and visitors are not allowed. The striking thing about this monastery is its simplicity and the intense & vibrant bright red, crimson, blue and yellow colored walls and buildings.  A bright and sunny day made it a more colorful and memorable visit!

The Silent Patio.

Section of the Monastery where novice nuns stayed.

Orange Tree Cloister.

The Infirmary.

A series of huge clay jars used by the nuns to wash their clothes. Water to each jar can be
individually controlled by stoppers! Notice the sillar (volcanic white rock) stone wall on the left.

As we walked through the various sections of the Santa Catalina Monastery and the nuns' houses, our guide was describing how life was for those nuns back in the 16th century. I felt as if I had stepped back in time!. The Santa Catalina Monastery is the crown jewel of Arequipa, and it did leave a very colorful impression on us!