Arequipa’s legendary Casa de la Moneda was a Republican-era manor house, commissioned in 1794 by a well-known personality in 18th-century Arequipa society, Marquis Don Blas de Quirós, as his luxurious residence. Quirós was famous for a rather immodest boast about his family’s exalted stature: “Después de Dios, Quirós” (“After God, Quirós”). Because a small tributary of the River Chili used to pass under the manor house, in 1837 the Peruvian government decided to lease the structure and take advantage of its natural hydraulics in order to mint coins. Though the home served as a mint for only 6 years, that unique bit of history remained imprinted on it and prompted a nickname that would forever stick with Arequipa residents: Casa de la Moneda (Mint House).

Despite its illustrious history, for more than 100 years the house was rented to a series of families from Arequipa who shared and ultimately reshaped the home. When the mansion was leased to Casa Andina in 2007, a lengthy renovation process turned up several surprising discoveries, including original gold-leaf murals, reliefs, and even a beautiful small chapel that had long remained hidden from view. Such chapels were customary in Arequipa's colonial manor houses. The colorful decorative elements that can be appreciated on the portico, interior vaulted ceiling, and cupboard door are tempera paintings, and they have been meticulously restored after the removal of up to 5 coats of paint accumulated over some 200 years.