Few Cusqueños, and even fewer visitors, know the true name and history of each of the portals surrounding the emblematic Plaza de Armas in Cusco. These passages, laden with history, colonial whispers, and Andean legends, hold secrets in every arch and stone wall. What today seem like simple commercial accesses were once the heart of markets, prisons, convents, and even secret rituals.
Below, we share a different look at these portals, with their current names, those they bore during the viceregal era, and some myths or anecdotes that enrich their legacy.
List of Old and Modern Names of the Cusco Portals
| Current Name | Name in the Colonial Era |
|---|---|
| 1. Portal de Carnes (Meat Portal) | Portal del Comisario de la Inquisición (Portal of the Commissary of the Inquisition) |
| 2. Portal de Harinas (Flour Portal) | Portal del Mármol de Carbajal (Carbajal Marble Portal) |
| 3. Portal de Panes (Bread Portal) | Portal de Kasana |
| 4. Portal de Confituría (Confectionery Portal) | Portal de Fonderías (Eating Houses Portal) |
| 5. Portal de Comercio (Commerce Portal) | Portal de Ropavejeros (Second-hand Clothes Dealers Portal) |
| 6. Portal de la Compañía (Company Portal) | Portal de Sastres (Tailors’ Portal) |
| 7. Portal de Carrizos (Reed Portal) | Portal de los Carrizos (Portal of the Reeds) |
| 8. Portal de Belén (Bethlehem Portal) | (No registered change) |
1. Portal de Carnes (Meat Portal) – The Corner of Invisible Trials
During the Viceroyalty, this portal was known as the Portal of the Commissary of the Inquisition. History tells that, during the time the Holy Office operated in Cusco, some secret trials were held very close to this spot. Years later, it became the center for meat sales, which is why it was renamed Portal de Carnes. The elders say that on full moon nights, you can hear the sound of chains and footsteps, as if the inquisitors still roamed.
2. Portal de Harinas (Flour Portal) – Of Sacks and Carbajal’s Whispers
It is said that this portal was the favorite of the bakers of yesteryear. Here, enormous sacks of flour were piled against the thick colonial walls. Its old name, Mármol de Carbajal, refers to a Spanish character who, according to legend, had hidden a stone with magical properties in a corner of the portal, which brought prosperity to whoever found it. Today, the aroma of bread still seems to float in the air.
3. Portal de Panes (Bread Portal) – Where Pizarro Raised His Voice
Built on what was the palace of the Inca Pachacútec, this portal holds a vibrant history. Francisco Pizarro took it as a stronghold during the conquest and used it as a prison for his adversaries. But what is most remembered is the famous altercation between the Spaniard Benito Suárez de Carbajal and the friar Orriamún, where a slap echoed through colonial history. The event was so widely discussed that the place was known as the Portal of the Slap for generations.
4. Portal de Confituría (Confectionery Portal) – Among Sweets, Smoke, and Prayers
This portal used to be called Portal de Fonderías, as humble kitchens were located there where the less fortunate were fed. In the 18th century, an Afro-descendant woman known as María la Dulcera (María the Sweets Maker) set up shop there and began selling artisanal candies, nougats, and caramels. Her fame was such that the place changed its name to Portal de Confituría. Today, it is still said that on festive days, the smell of honey can be felt in the air.
5. Portal de Comercio (Commerce Portal) – Shops, Bartering, and Treasures
Before being the bustling place of modern shops, this portal housed Jewish and Spanish merchants who offered fabrics, spices, and objects brought from overseas. Known in the colony as the Portal de Ropavejeros (Second-hand Clothes Dealers Portal), everything from formal wear to enchanted trinkets was traded here. Some chronicles relate that a tunic sold here was “cursed” and brought bad luck to its owner. Truth or myth? No one knows for sure.
6. Portal de la Compañía (Company Portal) – Secrets Beneath the Vault
Originally called Portal de Sastres (Tailors’ Portal), this space changed its name when the Church of the Society of Jesus (Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús) was built, a majestic temple directed by Jesuit architects Pietro and Ludovico Maieroni. It is rumored that a colonial treasure still lies hidden in the vault beneath the choir, concealed by the Jesuits before their expulsion. Although no one has found it, some claim that the stones of the temple vibrate if touched with faith.
7. Portal de Carrizos (Reed Portal) – The Corner of Artisans and Fireworks Makers
This portal got its name from being the place where large reeds (carrizo) and maguey canes were stored, essential for making fireworks and religious sculptures. It was a meeting point for artisans, carpenters, and pyrotechnicians, who amidst laughter, gunpowder, and sparkling stories, wove part of the festive soul of Cusco.
8. Portal de Belén (Bethlehem Portal) – The Most Serene and Enigmatic
Although its name did not change over time, this portal is one of the most enigmatic. It is said that it owes its name to a small image of the Virgin of Bethlehem that formerly adorned one of its corners. Legend has it that during a heavy rain, the image would have cried, stopping the storm. Since then, it is considered by some as a place of protection and silent miracles.
A Walk Between Portals and Eras
Today, the portals of the Plaza de Armas are not only part of Cusco’s urban landscape, but they are silent witnesses to the passage of time. Each of them holds within its columns stories of merchants, inquisitors, friars, artisans, and cooks, who transformed these spaces into a living legacy.
So the next time you walk through the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, look up, observe the arches, and listen carefully… An old story might be waiting for you.
