The Church of San Juan Bautista is a building made of adobe and very simple, more than 200 years old. It was the temple of the indigenous population, the displaced, the marginalized and the poor. It is the home of the patron saint of Puno: the Virgin of Candelaria, who is said to have performed miraculous apparitions to protect the exploited miners of Lacaycota, and also to destroy the ants, snakes and toads sent by the devil to destroy the capital of the highlands.
The church has a French pointed arch style façade and was rebuilt in 1876 with three Gothic altars and a large number of religious paintings inside. Every year in February the church is full of believers who celebrate the feast of the Virgin of Candelaria amidst colorful festivities. The Church of San Juan is very close to the Plaza de Armas, just in front of Pino Park.