The Cathedral of Chachapoyas on the Plaza de Armas is a handsome colonial structure that anchors the city's main square. The plaza itself is one of the more attractive in northern Peru — well-maintained, tree-lined, and surrounded by colonial-era buildings that give the city its pleasant provincial character.
The cathedral's interior has been restored and holds colonial religious art including carved retablos and colonial-era paintings. The plaza is the social heart of the city — the starting point for any walk through Chachapoyas, and the gathering place for evening socialising that is universal in Andean towns. Combined with the Santa Ana Church a few blocks away (one of the oldest in the region), the colonial heritage of the historic centre makes for a pleasant morning walk before heading out to the major archaeological sites.