Diego Maroto
Encyclopedia
Fray Diego Maroto was the most important Peruvian architect of the second half of the 17th century.
Maroto occupied the positions of Maestro Mayor de Fabricas de la Catedral Metropolitana, supervisor of the unions of architects and Maestro Mayor de las Fabricas Reales during a four decade-long period of major civil construction projects in Lima
.
As an architect of the Dominican Order
, Maroto developed a vault
resistant to earthquakes. The technique was imitated after the earthquake of 1687
in many monumental constructions in Lima, like the Cathedral of Lima and the Church of the Convent of San Agustín the Great of Lima. His works include those for the male and female convents in the city of Lima, the parishes and Metropolitan cathedral. His most important work was the College of Saint Thomas (Colegio de Santo Tomás). The major cloister of the school is the only round cloister in South America.
Maroto occupied the positions of Maestro Mayor de Fabricas de la Catedral Metropolitana, supervisor of the unions of architects and Maestro Mayor de las Fabricas Reales during a four decade-long period of major civil construction projects in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
.
As an architect of the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, Maroto developed a vault
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
resistant to earthquakes. The technique was imitated after the earthquake of 1687
1687 Peru earthquake
The 1687 Peru earthquake occurred at 11:30 UTC on October 20. It had an estimated magnitude of 8.4–8.7 and caused severe damage to Lima, Callao and Ica. It triggered a tsunami and overall about 5,000 people died.-Tectonic setting:...
in many monumental constructions in Lima, like the Cathedral of Lima and the Church of the Convent of San Agustín the Great of Lima. His works include those for the male and female convents in the city of Lima, the parishes and Metropolitan cathedral. His most important work was the College of Saint Thomas (Colegio de Santo Tomás). The major cloister of the school is the only round cloister in South America.
Works of Diego Maroto (selection)
- 1650: Church of Vera Cruz
- 1653: Belfry of the Monastery de La Concepción
- 1659: Belfry of the Dominican Convent of Nuestra Señora del Rosario
- 1662: A cloister of the Jesuit Convent of San Pablo
- 1663: Church of Sagrario next to the Cathedral of Lima
- 1663 - 1668: College of Saint Thomas
- 1679: conversion of the convent church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario
- 1680: Copula of Sagrario
- 1688 until 1692: Reconstruction of the vaults of the Cathedral of Lima