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Arequipa
is known as the White City because of the white porous volcanic
rock (sillar) that was used to build most of its buildings. By
air, this lovely city is 75 minutes south from Lima. Dominated
by the snow-capped El Misti volcano.
The
city is surrounded by mountains and snow capped volcanoes such
as Misti (5820 m.) and Chachani (6096 m.).
Arequipa
City lies at 2400 meters above sea level but it has a very
pleasant climate, its days are mostly warm and sunny, and its
nights are cool. The pretty Plaza de Armas forms the city core,
bordered on one side by a Jesuit church founded in 1689. There
are many fine restored mansions and churches such as San Agustin
with its Churrigueresque facade, but the primary religious
monument is the Santa Catalina Monastery, a flowering complex of
buildings that once sheltered a community of 400 nuns.
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