century, the citadel had more than 300 women in habit and servant maids. On June 13, 1747, a group of four nuns from the Santa Catalina Monastery moved to the newly built Santa Rosa Monastery, located on the corner of San Pedro and Santa Rosa streets, to found a new religious community, which continues there until now. The Santa Catalina Monastery was wrapped in a veil of mystery and silence until 1970, when a large part of the convent opened its doors to the public. The nuns allowed a private company to manage it. Nuns still live in the northern area of ​​the complex. Architecture The charm of this citadel lies in the solidity and plasticity of its volumes, and the beauty that master builders achieved in the architecture of these enclosures through solutions such as flying buttresses or the construction of strong arches based on pillars. In the interiors, domes and vaulted ceilings greatly expand the space and add to the sense of strength of the buildings. Likewise, especially in the area of ​​the alleys, the intervention of masons who, lacking a proper architectural design, were raising walls, roofs, cells, patios and portals of a simple approach is perceived. The current building houses splendid pieces of art, such as a Baroque altar of carved and gilt wood, with one body and three lanes, which adorns the chapel, and several paintings from the Cusco School. Due to the constant earthquakes that affected the monastery, the families of the nuns chose to build unique and private cells for each one of them. What caused there to be ordered sectors and in the absence of a plan others with a notorious disorder. For almost two centuries during the colony, the cloisters and cells of the monastery have undergone various modifications, additions and new constructions that have made Santa Catalina a counter on a human scale of Arequipa's colonial architecture. Dependencies The small streets and cloisters are full of colorful flowers and the walls are painted in fresh dyes. Narrow alleys lead to the various parts of the convent passing through picturesque sites and living and sleeping places with the original furniture. Portal of the monastery The entrance portal is adorned with a relief of St. Catherine of Siena, under whose patronage the monastery was founded. It is carved into the solid tuff wall that borders the entire block. The sober simplicity of