The Getty will work with local authorities on the first-ever conservation project on a 17th-century earthen church in the Andean highlands of the Cusco region of Peru. The Church of Santo Tomás de Aquino, locally known as the Church of Rondocan, is a sacred cultural heritage site. Over the years, earthquakes have damaged the church, and not only the structure but also the church’s collection of more than 300 cultural objects is under threat.

The Peruvian government has allotted $5 million to a multi-year initiative that will strengthen the earthen site and support the conservation and care of both building and collection, which includes 17th- and 18th-century paintings, gilded wooden retablos and associated sculptures, ecclesiastical textiles, and more. The Getty will contribute expertise from staffers across various departments.