LIMA

City of Kings: A mosaic of peoples, eras and traditions

The mansions and churches of colonial downtown Lima and the modern suburbs of San Isidro, Miraflores and Monterrico, make Lima a study in contrasts. More than seven million people, a third of Peru's population, live in the capital city of Peru, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Founded by Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro, Lima is also known as the City of Kings for its founding at Epiphany in 1535. For more than 300 years, Lima was the most important city and the greatest metropolis in South America. Vestiges of Lima's colonial heyday remain today in downtown Lima:

The Plaza Mayor or main square, flanked by the Government Palace, the City Hall and the Cathedral. Torre Tagle, an exceptionally beautiful mansion built in 1735, today houses the offices of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Nearby, the recently renovated Palacio de Osambela, built between 1803 and 1805, serves as a venue for art exhibitions and cultural events.

Dozens of Lima's colonial churches are gems of Ibero-American architecture, such us San Francisco, founded in 1535, and La Merced, whose earliest construction pre-dates the founding of Lima. Modern Lima is a mix of architectural styles and beautiful gardens, especially Miraflores and San Isidro, popular commercial districts with excellent shops, art galleries and restaurants. Barranco, home to Lima's best known artists and writers, is filled with bars and night clubs.