Barranco District

Last updated
Barranco
Barranco District Lima Peru.jpg
View under the Bridge of Sighs
Bandera de Barranco.png
Escudo de Barranco.jpg
Map of Lima highlighting Barranco.PNG
Location of Barranco District in Lima
Country Flag of Peru.svg  Peru
Department Lima
Province Lima
Founded26 October 1874
Government
   Mayor Jessica Vargas
Area
  Total
3.33 km2 (1.29 sq mi)
Population
 (2023) [1]
  Total
37,525
Time zone UTC-5 (PET)
UBIGEO 150104
Website munibarranco.gob.pe

Barranco is a district of Lima, Peru. A seaside district of the city, it is considered a bohemian and artistic centre, being the home and working place of many of Peru's leading artists, musicians, designers and photographers. Its beaches are among the most popular within the worldwide surfing community, and a marina completed in 2008 provides state-of-the-art services for its yacht club.

Contents

Etymology

The name Barranco is Spanish for ravine. Barranco has two ravines; one in the north where Armendariz Avenue is situated between Miraflores District and Barranco, and one near the central part, the Bajada de los Baños.

History

San José de Surco was founded on 26 October 1874, with the Hermitage of Barranco chosen as its capital. [2] The hermitage's location is traditionally considered the origin of the district, with an 18th-century legend claiming that two Indian fishermen who had become lost at sea managed to find their way to the shore through a light cast by a cross located on the site. [3]

In the 19th century, it was a very fashionable beach resort for the local upper-class (also known as the aristocracy), alongside neighbouring Chorrillos.

During the 2010s and 2020s, many high rises and other projects began to be built in Barranco as a result of Urban renewal, replacing a number of the district's traditional buildings.

Politics

List of mayors

Since 2023, the incumbent mayor is Jessica Vargas.

MayorPartyTerm
BeginEnd
1 Pedro Bustamante y García 18741874
2Francisco García Monterroso18751878
3Benito Bregante18791880
4Alberto Lajon18811884
5Baldomero Prado de Zela (interim)??
6José Tiravanti (interim)1887??
7Manuel Checa (interim)??
8Juan Francisco Pazos Monasis18871891
9José Cornejo18911893
10Pedro Elguera18931895
11Pedro Solari18951899
12Pedro Swayne – José Mendoza19001901
13Pedro Heraud19011904
14Juan Francisco Pazos Varela19041906
15Aurelio Souza19061912
16 Pedro de Osma y Pardo  [ es ]19121914
17Catalina Miranda19141916
18Pedro de Osma Gildemeister19171919
19Cesar Morelli19201920
20Enrique de las Casas19201927
21Pedro Martinto19271930
22 Ignacio Brandariz  [ es ]19301932
23César Contreras19321933
24Enrique A. Coloma19341935
25Tomás A. Valeza19351938
26Germán Noriega del Valle19381940
27Manuel Montero Bernales19401947
28Javier Lanfranco19471948
29Luís Brambilla Tosso19481949
30Leopoldo Luna Ferrecio19491950
31Alfonso Ballón Elguera19501952
32Jorge Souza Miranda, Jr19531955
33Estuardo Núñez Hague19561956
34Manuel Campodónico Quevedo19561962
35Fernando Giuffa Fontanes19621963
36Jorge Rocha Arnao APDC 19641966
37Héctor Vega León APDC 19671969
38Tomas Paso Valles19701975
39Carlos Varela Morales19751976
40Renato Lectora Ginetti19761979
41Emilio Gordillo Angulo19791980
42Miguel Lora ArbulúJune 1980December 1980
43Nicodemes Montalván Prado Acción Popular 19811983
44Jorge del Castillo Gálvez APRA 19831983
45Danilo Delgado Bedoya [4] 19851986
46Pedro Allemant Centeno APRA 19871989
47Renato Lectora Ginetti FREDEMO 19901992
48Carlos Gálvez MartínezOBRAS19931995
49Mario Zolezzi19961996
50Francisco Silva Checa Somos Lima 19961998
51Josefina Estrada de Capriata Somos Perú 19992002
52 Martín del Pomar  [ es ] Unidad Nacional 20032006
53 Antonio Mezarina  [ es ] Restauración Nacional 20072010
54 Jessica Vargas Gómez  [ es ] PPC 20112014
55 Antonio Mezarina  [ es ] APP 20152018
56 José Rodríguez Cárdenas  [ es ]Siempre Unidos20192022
57 Jessica Vargas Gómez  [ es ] Renovación Popular 2023Incumbent

Subdivisions

The district's central area is a designated Monumental Zone since 1972.

Barranco is the site of a lone populated centre that is coterminous with the district: [5]

CodeNameTypePopulation (total)Housing (total)
0001BarrancoChala34,378 (2017)13,509 (2017)

Twin cities

As of 2025, Barranco is twinned with the following places:

Geography

Climate

The cliffs of Chorrillos shield Barranco from colder and more humid winds coming from the South. As a result, Barranco has a micro-climate that is warmer and drier than many of the other districts of Lima, which are generally more humid, especially between May and October.

Culture

Architecture

Barranco has many houses in the colonial and Republican style (called "casonas"), flower-filled parks and streets, and appealing beachfront areas. In the north are near Miraflores and Santiago de Surco, there are many flats and high-rises as a result of Urban renewal. Throughout Miguel Grau Avenue, 19th century houses, casonas, and other buildings line the streets.

Landmarks

Large part of the district belongs to its Monumental Zone, in which a number of buildings have been granted UNESCO's blue shield, including Pedro de Osma Museum  [ es ], [6] Manuel Beingolea Municipal Library, and a number of houses (Casa Piselli, Casa Ferrand Zavala, Casa Miro Quesada, Casa De la Puente Wiese, Casa República, and Casa Zegarra). [7]

Bajada de los Baños

The Bajada de los Baños is a walkway which lead from Barranco's municipal park and central business district to the Costa Verde Avenue and the beaches. The walkway was built on a ravine. There is a shanty town built within the ravine.

The bottom of the walkway leads to a viewpoint known as the Mirador Catalina Recavarren, built in late 1898 under the administration of Mayor Pedro Allemant Centeno (1896–1899). [8]

Bridge of Sighs

The Puente de los Suspiros (translated to Bridge of Sighs) is a bridge built over the Bajada de los Baños. It was inaugurated on 14 February 1876. On the far side of the bridge is a park with a statue of native singer and composer, Chabuca Granda. There is also a church on the north end of the bridge, Iglesia la Ermita. It was built during the 19th century, and its roof has collapsed partially due to renovation issues.

Municipal Park

Barranco's Municipal Park, also known as the Plaza de Armas, is located in central Barranco, where its municipal headquarters, municipal library, and a church are all located. The park has fountains and restaurants. The park was inaugurated in 1898, during the mayoralty of Pedro Solari (1885–1899).

The park's library, known as Manuel Beingolea Library (Spanish : Biblioteca Manuel Beingolea), was inaugurated on October 1, 1922, under the mayoralty of Enrique de las Casas and during the presidency of Augusto B. Leguía. It was initially inaugurated on the left part of its current premises, moving to Fraternity Park in 1958 and moving to its current building in 1966, forming part of the cultural heritage of Peru. [8]

The park's church, Santísima Cruz, was built to replace the Hermitage of Barranco, damaged during the 1940 Lima earthquake. It was consecrated by Juan Landázuri Ricketts on June 1, 1963, during a ceremony attended by Pedro and Angélica de Osma Gildemeister, who served as its godparents. [8]

Barranco Beach

Barranco's beach is famous during the Summer months, when people bathe in its waters. The beach opened a marina for yachts and other boats and ships in 2008.

Contemporary Art Museum

Barranco is home to an art museum located in the north.

Pedro de Osma Museum

The Pedro de Osma museum is a museum located in Pedro de Osma avenue in the south.

Saenz Peña Avenue

Saenz Peña Avenue is an avenue near the north of the district. It is flanked by an alameda and park. Saenz Peña is home to 19th century architecture and an Obelisk as well as a sculpture of famous cartoon heroine Mafalda overlooking part of the district's Malecón.

Transport

The district's Pedro de Osma Avenue is serviced by a scenic tramway route, once part of the broader system that once serviced the whole city and its surroundings. Francisco Bolognesi Avenue is serviced by a route of the Metropolitano bus system.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. "Estadística Poblacional - Ministerio de Salud del Perú".
  2. Aramayo Gaona, Alejandra (2016-10-27). "Moción de saludo" (PDF). Congreso de la República .
  3. "Historia de Barranco". Municipalidad de Barranco.
  4. Sánchez Campos, Elvis (2004). Estudio de renovación urbana de atractivos turísticos en el distrito de Barranco (in Spanish). Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería. p. 49.
  5. Directorio Nacional de Centros Poblados. Censos Nacionales 2017: XII de Población, VII de Vivienda y III de Comunidades Indígenas (PDF) (in Spanish). Vol. 4. Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática. 2018. p. 13.
  6. Quispe, Harold (2024-04-17). "Museo Pedro de Osma recibirá reconocimiento de la Unesco por su valor histórico". RPP Noticias .
  7. "Inmuebles con Escudo Azul del Patrimonio Barranquino". Gob.pe . Municipalidad Distrital de Barranco. 2025-08-01.
  8. 1 2 3 Plan Distrital de Seguridad Ciudadana del Distrito de Barranco (PDF) (in Spanish). Municipalidad de Barranco. 2016. pp. 11–17.
  9. "Maria Isabel Sánchez Concha Aramburú – Women Film Pioneers Project". wfpp.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-08.

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