Saving 16th Century Churches in the Sondondo Valley

Located in Peru's Sondondo valley, 14 churches dating from the 16th century were severely damaged during the civil war in the 1980s and 1990s. This project, led by Les Amis du Patrimoine, first conducted a general assessment of the condition of these historical buildings. Emergency measures were then implemented, including consolidating the roofs of five churches; repairing and reinforcing the doors, windows, and walls; and updating the electrical installations. Following the discovery of 19 colonial-era paintings during the restoration work, special precautions were taken to ensure their preservation. A complete inventory of all church artifacts was drawn up and shared with the Peruvian authorities. Finally, various training workshops were organized, including on producing traditional tiles and inventorying archaeological artifacts.