Lima, the capital of Peru, is located on the west central coast of South America and the average temperature is 25°C in the summer and 15°C in the winter (seasons are opposite to those in the United Estates and Europe).
The Spaniards founded the city of Lima in 1535. In 1542 it became capital of the Spanish Viceroyalty of South America, therefore, an important base of development. In 1551 San Marcos, the oldest university in South America was founded. Later, in 1584 the first printing press in the continent was established. Lima reached its greatest splendor in the 17th and 18th centuries, during which it came to be the seat of the political and military power represented by the viceroy. The large mansions and palaces erected in Lima in these centuries show how important it was as a seat of Spain’s colonial power. A succession of 40 viceroys occupied the Government Palace. On July 28, 1821, independence reached the capital of Peru. In the mid-20th century, industrial development and modernization caused Lima to spread eastward and southward, which coincided with a demographic explosion and an unprecedented level of migration from the countryside. In recent years there has been a wave of modernization reflecting an expansion in trade.
Lima is a city of sharp social and architectural contrasts. There is the old colonial city, which contains most of the historical monuments, such as the traditional screened balconies, mansions, convents and monasteries, churches sumptuously decorated; and the modern part with traditional lower- and middle-class districts; and other zones with luxury high-rise apartments and houses.

Main Tourist Attractions

PLAZA MAYOR
This is the heart of the old city, where there still stands fountain dating from the 17th century. The Plaza is ringed on three sides by what were the three most important buildings in the colonial era: the Cathedral, the Municipality and the Palace of Government.

THE CATHEDRAL
Originally constructed in 1555, the Cathedral was rebuilt in 1746. Its austere facade and interior, choir stalls, altars and the tomb of Francisco Pizarro are its principal points of interest. The Cathedral also houses a museum of religious art with some very well preserved works.

SAN FRANCISCO CHURCH AND CONVENT
One of the best examples of 17th century colonial architecture, the church has beautiful tiled cloisters and an interesting museum of viceregal art with a valuable collection of exhibits. San Francisco is also famous for its catacomb, which are more than three hundred years old.

CONVENTO DE LOS DESCALZOS
The convent was founded at the end of the 16th century XVI. It contains priceless paintings from the Quito and Cusco colonial schools by artists like Medoro, Diego Quispe Tito, and others.

GOLD MUSEUM
This museum contains a splendid private collection belonging to Mujica Gallo family. The collection boasts unique objects of pre-Hispanic art, as well as several priceless pieces in gold, copper, and silver (necklaces, bracelets, earrings, breastplates, ornaments, figurines in the shape of people and animals, masks, turquoise-encrusted silver beakers, crowns, tumis (ceremonial knives) and statuettes) that reflect the great sophistication with which Peru’s ancient smiths learnt to work metal.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY, ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORY
This is the largest museum in the country and comprehensively covers all Peru’s historical and archeological past. The museum contains several exhibition halls featuring such prize pieces as the famous Stela Raymondi and the Tello Obelisk from the Chavín civilization; large quantities of ceramic artifacts showing the level of development, sophistication and complexity attained by the Wari culture; examples of ancient Peruvian metallurgical technology; numerous pre-Hispanic textiles; and other objects from Peru’s viceregal and early republican eras.

RAFAEL LARCO HERRERA ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
The museum contains around 45,000 pieces collected by Don Rafael Larco, including ceramics, funeral shrouds, textiles, utensils, and gold jewelry from different cultures that flourished in Peru at one time, like the Mochica, Nazca, Paracas, Huari, Chavin, and Inca. The museum also has a collection of ancient erotic sculptures that is unrivaled, not only for its size, but also for the quality of the artistic workmanship. The erotica are arranged in four themes: realist, humorist, moralist, and religious.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ARCHEAOLOGY
Opened in 1990, the museum exhibits have an educational focus and are arranged in chronological order to represent that different peoples that have inhabited Peru since pre-Columbian times, showing their expansion and influence, as well as their agricultural and economic development.

PACHACAMAC REMAINS
Pachacamac is the oldest known pre-Columbian religious-ceremonial center and lies 31 km. south of Lima. The center is dedicated to the god Pachacamac and contains four separate generations of temple constructions. When the Inca expansion reached this area they built the Temple of the Sun, or Punchao Cancha and the Temple of the Moon, or Accllawasi, which, under Inca rule, was attended by virgins, called Mamacunas. The Site Museum exhibits ancient weavings, quipus (knotted strings of varying lengths apparently used by the Incas as a system of accounting), and ceramics representing scenes from the daily life of the local people, among other items.

HUACA PUCLLANA
A very large adobe pyramid (the site covers five hectares) with 5 different platforms connected by steps. It is located in the heart of the Miraflores District. It is a unique monument left by the Lima Civilization (200 to 600 a.d.). The Huaca was a ceremonial and administrative center in which objects have been unearthed that reveal the considerable technological progress achieved by this civilization. The objects found indicate that the Lima engaged in farming, produced ceramics and textiles, and were also fish