Lima CentER

Nearly every city and town in Peru has a central square known as the ‘Plaza de Armas’, and Lima is no exception. This colorful main square was the foundation of the ‘City of the Kings’ in 1535 and was Lima’s first public square. At the Plaza de Armas you can see the Cathedral, the Government Palace, and a few other municipal buildings.

Behind the Government Palace, there is the old train station which today is a library and can be visited for free. Right outside of it, on the corner, is the Bar Cordano, a meeting place where past Presidents, artists, writers, and politicians have been customers. There you can enjoy a Chilcano de Pisco and a ham (butifarra) or a Chicharron sandwich. 

A few blocks away is the Church and Convent of San Francisco, where you can visit the catacombs.  It is estimated that 25,000 bodies were laid to rest in the catacombs; the crypts, built of bricks and mortar, are very solid and have stood up well to earthquakes. 

Take a stroll through Jiron de La Union towards Plaza San Martin.  This square was inaugurated in 1921 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Peru’s independence and is named after Peru’s liberator José de San Martín. It is surrounded by grand buildings influenced by the French Beaux-arts architectural style typical in Lima in the 1920s. Check out the statue of San Martín in the middle of the square and the bronze statue of ‘Madre Patria’, the symbolic mother of Peru. She was supposedly meant to have a crown of flames but unfortunately, the double meaning of the word ‘llama’ in Spanish was confused by the craftsman so she ended up with a llama on her head!

Lima City Center is a bustling place, full of people which sometimes can be dangerous. Better to visit during the day!

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