Fire damages 16th century Peru church

The Temple of San Sebastian in the Peruvian city of Cuzco has been badly damaged in a fire.

A fire has destroyed a 16th Century church in Peru. Source: Twitter

A fire has ruined much of a famed 16th century church in the Peruvian city of Cuzco, authorities say.

The blaze that burned into Friday morning destroyed the ornate, gilded altar and about two dozen paintings at the Temple of San Sebastian.

Architect Americo Carrillo, who led a $US2 million ($A2.7 million) restauration of the church between 2008 and 2013, characterized the loss as irreparable. He said the baroque church was "a jewel of Peru's colonial era".

Firefighters said they lacked sufficient water to fight the fire, so neighbours pitched in by bringing water from home cisterns. Priests rang the church bells to summon help as the fire advanced.

The fire department said the cause of the blaze is under investigation, but a short circuit is suspected.

Among the treasures lost were colonial era oil paintings by well-known indigenous artist Diego Quispe Tito depicting the life of St Sebastian, Carrillo said.