La Compañía, the Jesuit church on the southwest corner of the Plaza de Armas, has the finest sillar carving in Arequipa — a deep, exuberant baroque facade that rewards close looking. Take a step back: every saint is surrounded by twining grape vines, corn cobs, monkeys, and parrots, the work of indigenous craftsmen mixing Catholic and Andean imagery. The carving is shallow but extraordinarily detailed.
Inside the church, the San Ignacio chapel off the right transept is the showstopper — its barrel ceiling is painted with an entire tropical jungle of birds, plants, and angels in deep reds and blues, a glimpse of how dazzling the interiors of all Arequipa's churches once were. Pay the small extra entry fee at the desk. The neighbouring cloister, partly converted into upscale shops, is still worth a wander for its quiet arcades.