The Plaza Mayor de Lima, or Plaza de Armas de Lima, is considered one of the birthplaces [1] of the city of Lima, as well as the core of the city. Located in the Historic Centre of Lima, it is surrounded by the Government Palace, Lima Metropolitan Cathedral, Archbishop's Palace of Lima, the Municipal Palace, and the Palacio de la Unión. [2]
The Plaza de Armas is surrounded by the Jirón Junín, Jirón de la Unión, Jirón Huallaga, and the Jirón Carabaya streets.
In 1523, King Charles I of Spain mandated the Procedures for the creation of cities in the New World. These procedures indicated that after outlining a city's plan, growth should follow a grid centered on the square shape of the plaza.
On the day of the foundation of the city, January 18, 1535, the conquistador [1] Francisco Pizarro, conforming to established procedure, designated a location to build the plaza. Later, Pizarro and Nicolás de Rivera, the city's first mayor, toured the city's location and split parcels. Pizarro, taking advantage of his title of founder and governor, took a large parcel of land between the north side of the plaza and the Rímac River. The lot to the south of the plaza was designated to be a church, the western lot was to be the site of a city council, and the rest of the lots were divided among the rest of the conquistadors.
The 17th-century historian Bernabé Cobo said of the plaza:
It is the finest and most well-formed [plaza] that I have ever seen, even in Spain. It occupies an entire block, with the width of four streets on one side and four streets on the other, and with all four sides it measures more than two thousand feet; it is very ample.
Subsequently, the viceroy Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco, count of Nieva, proposed the gallows, which had previously been located at the centre of the plaza, be moved nearer to the river to the location which is now the Desamparados train station. In place of it, a new water fountain was built at the centre of the plaza. The gallows were returned to the south side of the plaza on the Callejón de Petateros.
The first water fountain built on the plaza was constructed by the viceroy Francisco de Toledo, and was inaugurated on October 21, 1578. It consisted of a baluster and an elevated bowl, and in it had eight pipes through which water fell into the bowl on the next level. A ball at the top of the fountain dispersed water back onto the lower levels. The seal of the city was inscribed on this ball.
The water [3] fountain was replaced in by the viceroy García Sarmiento de Sotomayor, Count of Salvatierra, who inaugurated it on September 8, 1651. This fountain remains as the centerpiece of the plaza to this day.
During the colonial era, the plaza served as a market, bull [4] fighting ring, and the city gallows. The plaza also became home to the auto-da-fé in which the Inquisition occurred. The tribunal of the Inquisition had one of its three courts located in Lima. The first conviction occurred on November 15, 1573, and this was the first heretic to be tried and executed in the New World.
In 1622, the Cathedral of Lima is completed. This church still stands today on the plaza.
In the early nineteenth century, chef Juan José Cabezudo had a food stall in the Escribanos portal, a place very close to the plaza, where he served typical Peruvian dishes, including tamales. [5] [6]
In 1821, José de San Martín proclaimed the Independence of Peru on this plaza. After this historic event, the flag of the new republic was paraded around the plaza.
In 1855, President Ramón Castilla inaugurated the first public gas lighting system which were first installed on the light posts of the plaza. Also at this time, gardens were planted on the plaza as up until this time it was made of pavement. In 1860, the first rail [7] ways for trams were installed on the plaza.
In 1922, construction of the Archbishop's Palace of Lima was completed. In 1938, the Government Palace was completed and in 1944 the Municipal Palace was completed.
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The Government Palace, also known as the House of Pizarro, is the seat of the executive branch of the Peruvian government, and the official residence of the president of Peru. The palace is a stately government building, occupying the northern side of the Plaza Mayor in Peru's capital city, Lima. Set on the Rímac River, the palace occupies the site of a very large huaca that incorporated a shrine to Taulichusco, the last kuraka of Lima.
The Basilica Metropolitan Cathedral of Lima and Primate of Peru, otherwise Lima Metropolitan Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the Plaza Mayor of downtown Lima, Peru. This third and current Cathedral of Lima was built between 1602 and 1797. It is dedicated to St. John, Apostle and Evangelist.
Lima is a district of Lima Province in Peru. Lima district is the oldest in Lima Province and as such, vestiges of the city's colonial era remain today in the historic centre of Lima, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and contains the foundational area known as Cercado de Lima.
Located principally in the city centre or Cercado de Lima and Rímac areas, the Historic Centre of Lima is among the most important tourist destinations in Peru.
The Jirón de la Unión, or Union Street, is a pedestrian street located in the Historic Centre of Lima, part of the capital of Peru. For many decades it was the most important boulevards of the city, often described as the most aristocratic, where many of the most affluent citizens of the city and most powerful men around the world would meet. Subsequently, with the deterioration of the center of Lima, the Jirón de la Unión lost its aristocratic character and became completely commercialized.
The Plaza San Martín is one of the most representative public spaces of the city of Lima, Peru. It is located at the ninth block of Colmena avenue, within the Historic Centre of Lima which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988 by UNESCO. It is located near the Plaza Mayor of Lima and is connected to it by the Jiron de la Union. Its central monument gives homage to Peru's liberator, José de San Martín.
The Palacio Municipal de Lima or City Hall of Lima is a public building that serves as headquarters of the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima. It is located on the street Portal de Escribanos, block 3 of Jirón de la Unión, and in front of the Plaza Mayor of Lima's historic centre.
The Club de la Unión is a non-profit Peruvian civil association which was founded on October 10, 1868. Its founders include such notable historical figures such as admiral Miguel Grau, colonel Alfonso Ugarte, and colonel Francisco Bolognesi, many of which would later go on to serve in the Peruvian military during the War of the Pacific.
The Historic Centre of Trujillo is the main urban area and the most important center of development and unfolding in the Peruvian city of Trujillo located in La Libertad Region. The whole process of its original urban fabric is in elliptical shape surrounded by España Avenue that was built in the wake of the Wall of Trujillo. It houses the seat of city government and other important entities in the locality. In the center of this historic urban area is the Plaza de Armas of Trujillo that was the scene of the Spanish founded of the city in 1534 and the proclamation of the independence of Trujillo on December 29, 1820.
Juan José Cabezudo, also known as "El maricón" or "Comesuelas" was a famous Afro-Peruvian cook with a food stall in Lima's Plaza Mayor, during the first half of the 19th century. Travelers, such as Max Radiguet, writers, such as Ricardo Palma, costumbrista painters, such as Pancho Fierro and Francisco Javier Cortés, and the photographic studio of Eugenio Courret portrayed Juan José. His name became synonymous with "faggot" in the Peruvian political press of the 19th century, which speaks of the enormous visibility of this character, who is recognized in history as the first openly homosexual Peruvian figure.
Peru Square, formerly known as Pizarro Square, is a public square located in central Lima, Peru.
The Plazoleta de la Merced, also known as the Plazuela de la Merced, is a public square located in front of the Basilica and Convent of Nuestra Señora de la Merced, at the fifth block of the Jirón de la Unión and its intersection with the Jirón Huancavelica, in the historic centre of Lima, Peru.
Jirón Callao is a major street in the Damero de Pizarro, located in the historic centre of Lima, Peru. The street starts at its intersection with the Jirón Sancho de Rivera and continues until it reaches the Jirón de la Unión, next to the Plaza de Armas.
Jirón Augusto Wiese, better known as Jirón Carabaya, is a major street in the Damero de Pizarro, located in the historic centre of Lima, Peru. The street starts at its intersection with the Jirón Áncash, and ends at the Paseo de la República.
Jirón Conde de Superunda, formerly Jirón Lima, is a major street in the Damero de Pizarro, located in the historic centre of Lima, Peru. The street starts at its intersection with the Jirón de la Unión, next to the Palacio Municipal de Lima, and continues until it reaches the Jirón Cañete.
Jirón Huallaga is a major street in the Damero de Pizarro, located in the historic centre of Lima, Peru. The street starts at its intersection with the Jirón de la Unión at the Plaza Mayor and continues until it reaches Jirón Cangallo in Barrios Altos, about a block after it passes through the Plaza Italia.
Jirón Junín is a major street in the Damero de Pizarro, located in the historic centre of Lima, Peru. The street starts at its intersection with the Jirón de la Unión and continues for 19 blocks until it reaches Nicolás Ayllón Avenue.
Jirón Puno is a major street in the Damero de Pizarro, located in the historic centre of Lima, Peru. It starts in the Jirón de la Unión and continues until it reaches Jirón Lorenzo de Vidaurre in Barrios Altos. It is continued by Jirón Moquegua to the west.
The Fountain of the Plaza Mayor is located in the square of the same name in the historic centre of Lima, Peru. Originally inaugurated in 1578, it has since been retouched and serves as the square's main feature, itself featuring a statue of Pheme, one of the gods of Ancient Greece.
12°02′45″S77°01′50″W / 12.04583°S 77.03056°W
