Plaza Mayor (also commonly called Plaza de Armas) is the historic heart of Lima. It has been the city’s main public square since it was founded and is the core of Lima’s UNESCO World Heritage Historic Center.
Francisco Pizarro founded Lima in 1535 and laid the first stone of the plaza. Over the decades and centuries Plaza Mayor has served as the political, religious, and social center of the city. In the past, the square hosted markets, bullfights, public executions, and military parades. The area sustained severe damage by the 1746 earthquake but was rebuilt afterward, so none of the original buildings remain around the Plaza. Still, it remains quite a visual feast. It was in this square that the country’s independence from Spain in 1821 was declared.
Plaza Mayor is a nice place to visit, roughly rectangular, spacious and green with benches on which to sit, while you are surrounded by history and elegant historic buildings. It is a popular spot, and you will not be alone. There will be throngs of visitors and dozens of vendors peddling their souvenirs.
Here are some of the highlights of the Plaza:
- A central bronze fountain which was installed in 1651 (the second fountain on the site).
- Government Palace (Palacio de Gobierno) — On the north side; the official residence of the President of Peru. It occupies an entire block and is a secure facility with a neoclassical façade. Construction was completed in 1938. A formal changing of the guard occurs here every day just before noon.
- Metropolitan Cathedral of Lima — On the east side; a grand colonial cathedral with museums inside and catacombs nearby. The church was completed in 1622.
- Archbishop’s Palace (Palacio Arzobispal) — Sits between the Metropolitan Cathedral and Government Palace. Notable for its intricately carved wooden balconies.
- Municipal Palace (Palacio Municipal de Lima) — City Hall, located on the west size of the plaza. It was completed in 1934.
On the south side of the plaza are several buildings that now are businesses — restaurants, shops and the like.
The plaza itself is free to visit and open 24/7, though the surrounding buildings have their own hours and entry fees for tours or museums. But the Plaza itself is a pleasing tourist destination that is well worth visiting while in Lima..
