Colonial Palaces and Plazas

The Church of La Merced is defined by its ornate, gray and pink stone façade, which features dense carvings and Solomonic columns decorated with plant motifs. Built under the supervision of Friar Miguel de Orenes starting in fifteen…

The Casa de Aliaga is identifiable by its tall, carved wooden portal on Jirón de la Unión. This mansion was established in fifteen thirty-five when Francisco Pizarro granted the land to his companion and fellow conquistador, Jerónimo de…

The Government Palace, or Palacio de Gobierno, dominates the northern edge of Lima’s Plaza Mayor with its wide, symmetrical facade of stone and ornate Neo-Baroque details. This site has served as the seat of executive power in Peru since…

The Plaza Mayor, or Plaza de Armas, is marked by a bronze fountain at its center that has stood in the square since sixteen fifty-one. Francisco Pizarro founded the city of Lima on this exact site on January eighteen, fifteen thirty-five,…

The Lima Cathedral is defined by its massive stone façade, which is flanked by two prominent bell towers topped with slate spires. As the primary church in the city, it stands on the eastern edge of the Plaza Mayor, built on the site of an…

The Basilica and Convent of San Francisco is defined by its two yellow, baroque-style towers that rise above the northern section of Lima’s historic center. This massive religious complex stands on land granted to the Franciscan Order…

The Palacio de Torre Tagle is defined by its two large, cantilevered wooden balconies that overhang the street. These intricate, enclosed structures are crafted from dark cedar and mahogany, showcasing a design influenced by Moorish…