Sights in Lima
-
A
Museo Rafael Larco Herrera
An 18th-century viceroy mansion built on the site of a pre-Columbian pyramid houses the highly recommended privately-run Museo Rafael Larco Herrera , has one of the largest ceramics collections to be found anywhere.
It is said to include over 50,000 pots, many of which were collected in the 1920s by a former vice president of Peru. The first rooms resemble a storeroom, stacked right to the ceilings with an overwhelming jumble of ceramics. Further into the museum, the best pieces are displayed in the uncluttered manner they deserve. They include a selection of gold and silver pieces, feathered textiles and an astonishing Paracas weaving that contains 398 threads to the…
reviewed
-
B
Museo de Oro del Perú
The now notorious Museo de Oro del Perú, a private museum, was a Lima must-see until 2001, when a study revealed that 85% of the museum’s metallurgical pieces were fakes. It reopened with an assurance that works on display are bona fide – and some vitrines bear cards that classify certain pieces as ‘reproductions’ – but the cluttered, poorly signed exhibits leave something to be desired. Better presented and more convenient is the new annex ( [tel] 620-6222; www.larcomar.com/salamuseo; LarcoMar, Malecón de la Reserva 610, Miraflores; admission S25; [hrs] 10am-10pm), in the seaside shopping mall of LarcoMar.
reviewed
-
C
Museo Nacional de Antropología, Arqueología e Historía del Perú
The Museo Nacional de Antropología, Arqueología e Historía del Perú traces the history of Peru from the Preceramic Period to the early republic. Displays include the famous Raimondi Stela, a 2.1m rock carving from the Chavín culture, one of the first Andean cultures to have a widespread, recognizable artistic style. The building was once the home of revolutionary heroes San Martín (from 1821 to 1822) and Bolívar (from 1823 to 1826) and the museum contains late-colonial and early republic paintings, including an 18th-century rendering of the Last Supper in which Christ and his disciples feast on cuy (guinea pig).
reviewed
-
D
Monasterio de San Francisco
This bright yellow Franciscan monastery and church is most famous for its bone-lined catacombs (containing an estimated 70,000 burials) and its remarkable library, where you can take in the sight of 25,000 antique texts, some of them predating the conquest. But this baroque structure has many other things worth seeing: the most spectacular is a geometric Moorish-style cupola, over the main staircase, which was carved in 1625 (restored 1969) out of Nicaraguan cedar. In addition, the refectory contains 13 paintings, of the biblical patriarch Jacob and his 12 sons, attributed to the studio of Spanish master Francisco de Zurbarán.
reviewed
-
E
Museo Taurino
The Plaza de Acho, Lima’s bullring, has been located on the same site north of the Río Rímac since 1766. Here, some of the world’s most famous toreadors have taken on the bulls, among them the renowned Manolete from Spain. The Museo Taurino documents this history with cluttered displays of weapons, paintings, photographs and the gilded outfits worn by a succession of bullfighters – one of which includes gore holes and blood.
reviewed
-
F
Plaza de Armas
Also called Plaza Mayor, the 140-sq-meter Plaza de Armas was once the heart of Lima. Though not one original building remains, the impressive bronze fountain in the center is its oldest feature, erected in 1650, and its oldest building is the cathedral, which was reconstructed after the 1746 earthquake.
reviewed
-
G
Museo de Historia Natural
One block west of cuadra 12 of Av Arequipa, south of the Parque de la Reserva, the Museo de Historia Natural, run by the Universidád de San Marcos, has a modest taxidermy collection that’s a useful overview of Peruvian fauna.
reviewed
-
H
Palacio de Gobierno
The exquisitely balconied Palacio Arzobispal (Archbishop's Palace) to the left of the cathedral in Plaza de Armas is a relatively modern building, dating to 1924. On the northeast side, the Palacio de Gobierno was built in 1937 and is the residence of Peru's president. A handsomely uniformed presidential guard is on duty here all day; the ceremonial changing of the guard takes place at noon.
It's a struggle to get into the palace, which is by free guided tour only (Spanish and English) and has to be organized 48 hours in advance at the nearby Office of Public Relations. Ask a guard to point you in the right direction. On the corner of the plaza, opposite the cathedral,…
reviewed
-
Museo Larco
An 18th-century viceroy’s mansion houses this museum, which has one of the largest, best-presented displays of ceramics in Lima. Founded by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1926, a dedicated collector and cataloguer of all things pre-Columbian, the collection is said to include, among other things, more than 50,000 pots (with thousands of extras housed in glass storerooms, which visitors can also see). The museum showcases ceramic works from the Cupisnique, Chimú, Chancay, Nazca and Inca cultures, but the highlight is the sublime Moche portrait vessels, presented in simple, dramatically lit cases. Equally astonishing: a Wari weaving in one of the rear galleries that contains 398…
reviewed
-
I
Iglesia de Santo Domingo
One of Lima’s most storied religious sites, the Iglesia de Santo Domingo and its expansive monastery are built on land granted to the Dominican Friar Vicente de Valverde, who accompanied Pizarro throughout the conquest and was instrumental in persuading him to execute the captured Inca Atahualpa. Originally completed in the 16th century, this impressive pink church has been rebuilt and remodeled at various points since. It is most renowned as the final resting place for three important Peruvian saints: San Juan Macías, Santa Rosa de Lima and San Martín de Porres (the continent’s first black saint). The convent – a sprawling courtyard-studded complex lined with baroque…
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
Museo de la Nación
A brutalist concrete tower houses the catch-all Museo de la Nación, which provides a cursory overview of Peru’s civilizations, from Chavín stone carvings and the knotted rope quipus of the Incas to artifacts from the colony. Large traveling international exhibits are also shown here (often for an extra fee), but if there is a single reason to visit this museum, it is to view a permanent installation on the 6th floor called Yuyanapaq. The exhibit, named after the Quechua word meaning ‘to remember, ’ was created by Peru’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission in 2003 and is a moving and beautifully installed photographic tribute to the Internal Conflict (1980–2000).…
reviewed
-
K
Pachacamac
Situated about 31km southeast of the city center, the archaeological complex of Pachacamac is a pre-Columbian citadel made up of adobe and stone palaces and temple pyramids. If you’ve been to Machu Picchu, it may not look like much, but this was an important Inca site and a major city when the Spanish arrived. It began as a ceremonial center for the Lima culture beginning at about AD 100, and was later expanded by the Waris before being taken over by the Ichsma. The Incas added numerous other structures upon their arrival to the area in 1450. The name Pachacamac, which can be variously translated as ‘He who Animated the World’ or ‘He who Created Land and Time, ’ comes…
reviewed
-
Puruchuco
The site of Puruchuco hit the news in 2002 when about 2000 well-preserved mummy bundles were unearthed from the enormous Inca cemetery. It’s one of the biggest finds of its kind, and the multitude of grave goods included a number of well preserved quipu (knotted ropes that the Inca used as a system of record-keeping). The site has a highly reconstructed chief’s house, with one room identified as a guinea-pig ranch. Situated amid the shantytown of Túpac Amaru, Puruchuco is 13km from Central Lima. (It is best to take a taxi.) A signpost on the highway marks the turn-off, and from here it is several hundred meters along a road to the right.
reviewed
-
L
Palacio Torre Tagle
There are few remaining colonial mansions in Lima since many of them have been lost to expansion, earthquakes and the perennially moist weather. Many now operate as private offices or educational centers, which can make seeing interiors difficult. The most immaculate of these casonas is the famous Palacio Torre Tagle, completed in 1735, with its ornate baroque portico (the best one in Lima) and striking Moorish-style balconies. Unfortunately, it is now home to Peru’s Foreign Ministry, so entry is restricted. Groups and educational organizations, however, can request a tour in advance via the oficina cultural.
reviewed
-
M
Iglesia de Las Nazarenas
Iglesia de las Nazarenas is one of Lima’s most storied churches. In the 17th century, the area was a shantytown inhabited by former slaves, and it was here that one of them painted an image of the Crucifixion on a wall that survived the devastating earthquake of 1655. In the 1700s, a church was built around this wall (which serves as the centerpiece of the main altar), and has been rebuilt many times since. But the wall endures, and on October 18 each year a representation of the mural, known as El Señor de los Milagros (Christ of Miracles), is carried around in a tens-of-thousands-strong procession that lasts for days.
reviewed
-
Ichimay Wari
At the southern edge of Lurín, a working-class enclave that lies 50km south of Central Lima on the Panamericana, are the studios belonging to the crafts collective Ichimay Wari. The group consists of more than a dozen artisans from Ayacucho who produce traditional retablos, pottery, Andean-style Christmas decorations and the colorful clay trees known as arbolitos de la vida (trees of life). The central shop is small, but the pieces are well crafted and the prices are a bargain. The best bet, however, is to make an appointment 24 hours in advance to tour individual studios and meet the artisans.
reviewed
-
N
Iglesia de la Merced
The first Latin mass in Lima was held in 1534, on a small patch of land now marked by the Iglesia de la Merced. It was originally built in 1541 and then rebuilt several times over the course of the next two centuries. Most of today’s structure dates to the 18th century, with its most striking feature being the imposing granite facade, carved in the churrigueresque manner (a highly ornate style popular during the late Spanish baroque). Inside, the nave is lined by more than two-dozen jaw-droppingly magnificent baroque and Renaissance-style altars, some of which are carved entirely out of mahogany.
reviewed
-
O
Museo de Arte de Lima
Known locally as MALI, Lima’s principal fine art museum is housed in a striking beaux arts building that, in 2009, underwent an extensive interior renovation. (The museum is scheduled to reopen sometime in 2010.) Until the reopening, small exhibits of objects from the excellent permanent collection – which includes pre-Columbian artifacts, colonial furniture and cutting-edge installation art by contemporary artists – can be found at Casa Wiese (Carabaya 501; [hrs] 10am-8pm Tue-Sun), a temporary exhibit space in Central Lima run by a local cultural foundation.
reviewed
-
P
Iglesia de San Agustín
Iglesia de San Agustín has an elaborate churrigueresque facade (completed in 1720), replete with stone carvings of angels, flowers, fruit (and, of course, Saint Augustine). Limited operating hours can make it a challenge to visit. The interiors are drab, but the church is home to a curious woodcarving called La Muerte (Death) by 18th-century sculptor Baltazar Gavilán. As one (probably fictional) story goes, Gavilán died in a state of madness after viewing his own chilling sculpture in the middle of the night. The piece sometimes travels, so call ahead.
reviewed
-
Convento de Los Descalzos
At the end of Alameda de los Descalzos, an attractive, if forgotten, avenue, is this 16th-century convent and museum, run by the Descalzos (‘the Barefooted, ’ a reference to Franciscan friars). Visitors can see old wine-making equipment in the kitchen, a refectory, an infirmary and the monastic cells. There are also some 300 colonial paintings, including noteworthy canvases by renowned Cuzco School artist Diego Quispe Tito. Spanish-speaking guides will show you around (for a tip); tours last 45 minutes. Taxis from the Plaza Mayor start at about S10.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Q
Museo de la Inquisición
A graceful neoclassical structure facing the Plaza Bolívar houses this diminutive museum, where the Spanish Inquisition once plied its trade. In the 1800s, the building was expanded and rebuilt into the Peruvian senate. Today, guests can tour the basement, where morbidly hilarious wax figures are stretched on racks and flogged – to the delight of visiting eight-year-old boys. The old 1st-floor library retains a remarkable baroque wood ceiling. Entry is by half-hour guided tours, conducted in Spanish and English, after which you are free to wander.
reviewed
-
R
Panteón de Los Próceres
Located inside a little-visited 18th-century Jesuit church, this monument pays tribute to a bevy of Peruvian battle heroes, from Túpac Amaru II, the 18th-century Quechua leader who led an indigenous uprising, to José de San Martín, who led the country to independence in the 1820s. The mosaic-lined crypt holds the remains of Ramón Castilla, the four-time Peruvian president who saw the country through a good piece of the 19th century. The building retains an impressive baroque altar, carved out of Ecuadorean mahogany, which dates to the 1500s.
reviewed
-
Cajamarquilla
A pre-Columbian site, Cajamarquilla is a crumbling adobe city that was built up by the Wari culture (AD 700–1100) on the site of a settlement originally developed by the Lima culture. A road to the left from Lima at about Km 10 (18km from Central Lima) goes to the Cajamarquilla zinc refinery, almost 5km from the highway. The ruins are located about halfway along the refinery road; you take a turn to the right along a short road. There are signs, but ask the locals for the zona arqueológica if you have trouble finding them.
reviewed
-
S
Arms Museum
The Arms Museum, housed in the top half of the Museo de Oro del PerÚ, is reputedly the largest in the world and even those with no interest in guns can't fail to be fascinated by the mammoth collection of ancient and bizarre firearms. Look for the 2m-long blunderbuss with a 5cm bore and a flaring, trumpetlike muzzle. Though it looks more suitable for hunting elephants, this 19th-century gun was supposedly a mere duck-hunting rifle.
Photography is prohibited. A taxi from Miraflores costs around US$2 to "USD>2.50.
reviewed
-
T
Museo Banco Central de Reserva del Perú
Housed in a graceful bank building, the Museo Banco Central de Reserva del Perú is a well-presented overview of several millennia of Peruvian art, from pre-Columbian gold and pottery to a selection of 19th- and 20th-century Peruvian canvases. Don’t miss the dozen watercolors by Pancho Fierro, on the top floor, which provide an unparalleled view of dress and class in 19th-century Lima. Identification is required for admittance.
reviewed