Places of Interest - Peru

Downtown Lima:

Lima is built from 50 districts which in about two are most suitable to stay in as a tourist. By far the most popular is "Lima Centro", where most of the colonial buildings from the city are situated. This was recorded in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988. Other interesting neighborhoods for tourists are "Miraflores" that has got a spectaculair look out point of the high cliffs on the Pacific, and is mainly used for shopping, dining and going out. Further south, there is the small "Barranco" where many artists and poets are staying. Many of Lima's interesting museums are spread out across different parts of the city. Lima's most famous tourist site is the central "Plaza de Armas" where the city originated. Not all buildings are original given the great earthquake in the 18th century. The oldest building in the square is the beautiful cathedral dating back to 1746. The fountain dates from 1650. Another remarkable building is the government palace built in 1937 in where the president lives. A little further down is the much less touristy "Plaza de Martin" with its French-oriented architecture. 

Other sights:

The National Museum ("Museo de la Nacion"), "Pachacamac" (archaeological site) and the "San Francisco" monastery.

Lima was founded on January 18, 1535 by Spaniard Francisco Pizarro, under the name of La Ciudad de Los Reyes (the "City of Kings"). The city soon became one of the most important bases of Spanish rule in Peru. The 16th-century cathedral in the main square (the Plaza de Armas) is a reminder of these times. During the Spanish colonial rule, Lima was, in cultural terms, the most important city in South America. Also, a large part of the colonial rule (government) was located in Lima. The nearby Callao port was an important transit point for goods transported to and from Spain. Up to the interior of Argentina this was the main port. From the 18th century Lima was faced with a decline. In 1746 a large part of the city was destroyed by an earthquake, in which thousands of people lost their lifes. The independence wars and then the occupation by Chile from 1881 to 1883 caused an exodus from the city. 

As in many countries in Latin America attracted the city in the beginning of the 20th century a lot of people from the countryside. Moving tot he big city to try their luck. Also in the early 40's there was a great exodus from the villages in the mountains to to the capital. By the end of the 20th century pollution of the environment became an important issue in Lima. To provide an alternative to busy city traffic, halfway through the construction of a subway was started. Despite its small size, at the beginning of the 21st century, this province (where Lima is situated) is still the largest industrial and economic "powerhouse" of the Peruvian economy.