Culture Guide

Lima is known for its rich historical and cultural past. Long before the Spaniards arrived several other cultures with highly advanced skills in construction, agriculture and arts settled the area of today's Lima. The Spanish colonist added to this legendary cultural legacy. Based on the model of Spanish cities, the "City of the Kings" arose and soon Lima became the political, economic, cultural and religious center of the Spanish colonies in South America. A completely different culture with European and Moorish influence mixed with the indigenous cultural and religious inheritance.

Everywhere visible in Lima is how these ancient cultures melted with modern factors. Amazing archaeological sites like the "Huacas" (Adobe pyramids) are spread over the city and are worth a visit. A must for every Lima visitor is the Historic City Center with amazing buildings, plazas and churches from Colonial times. Don't miss the numerous museums, displaying a huge variety of Lima's and Peru's culture from antique and traditional to modern and contemporary. Theatres, cinemas and Cultural Centers complete Lima's cultural scene.

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Acho Square - Bullfight Ring

Plazas (City Squares)
In the middle of the 18th century, Viceroy Manuel de Amat drew up plans for the construction of a special bullfight ring in Lima. Since 1538, when the first bullfight according to Ricardo Palma, famous Peruvian writer, took place, most bullfights spectacles were held on the Plaza Mayor and later at a simple wooden construction built on the place...

Church of the Nazarenas

Historical Churches & Convents
Home to the Lord of Miracles (Señor de Milagros), the Church of the Nazarenas is a real architectural jewel built in rococo style. Built on the grounds of a Colonial ghetto called Pachacamilla inhabited by black slaves the church has a legendary history.

Italian Square

Plazas (City Squares)
Before the arrival of the Spaniards in Peru the place known today as the Plaza Italia was a very important ceremonial temple or huaca. Unfortunately the conquistadores destroyed this ancient site and build instead a plaza on this piece of land. In 1550 the "Iglesia Santa Ana" (Church of Santa Ana) was erected, a once glorious church that is stil...

Church and Convent of Santo Domingo

Historical Churches & Convents
The Church and Convent of Santo Domingo date back to the end of the 16th century. The church is famous in Lima for being the only one with a "real" steeple, which in consequence of the construction over several stages has a very peculiar style. Inside the church are the oldest choir stalls of Lima, the famous statue of the Virgen del Rosario and...
In the district of today’s San Isidro, you will find an important archaeological complex named the "Huaca Huallamarca" or also known as "Pan de Azúcar" (Sugar Bread). Intensive investigations revealed three main occupation periods of the huaca: before and during the Lima Culture (around 200 BC to 700 AD) by ancient "Hualla" settlers from the Lim...
Founded in April 1826, the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru (MNAAHP) is Peru's oldest state museum. On display is a wide range of perfectly preserved pre-Hispanic ceramics, textiles, metals, organic materials and lithic's. Objects of historic-artistic value are exhibited. The documentary, photographic and bibliogr...

Municipal Palace

Historical Buildings
Another historical and architectural monument surrounding Lima's Plaza de Armas, is the Municipal Palace. The original building dates back to the early 17th century, but was destroyed mainly by earthquakes and fires several times. The current building, still on the same place as Lima's first town hall, was inaugurated in 1944.

Grau Square

Plazas (City Squares)
Dedicated to the Pacific War hero Admiral Miguel Grau, who lost his life in the Battle of Angamos, the "Plaza Grau" was officially inaugurated in October 1946. At the statue build with granite and bronze every year Peruvian Navy Officials lay a wreath to honour this grand captain of the Navy and all comrades who died during this terrible war.

Presbitero Maestro Cemetery

Historical Churches & Convents
The Presbitero Maestro Cemetery was built between 1805 and 1808 on the former outskirts of Lima and was the first municipal cemetery in Latin America. This impressive and beautiful historical Sanctuary houses the final resting places of many historical important personalities, but is still in use. The neoclassical complex contains the largest co...

Bolognesi Square

Plazas (City Squares)
The Plaza Bolognesi was constructed in 1906 and is dedicated to one of the many heroes of the Pacific War, Francisco Bolognesi, who lost his life next to a lot of loyal Peruvians during the Battle of Arica. The statue of Francisco Bolognesi in the middle of the circle was erected in 1954 (the original one from 1905 can be found in the Museo Hist...
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