the Travel Enthusiast
- 12 Jan
papillon in Travel Planning | NO COMMENTSAmazing attractions in Lima, Peru
Lima at night
The former heart of the Spanish colonial empire, founded by famous conquistador Francisco Pizarro, Lima is not what one would call a pretty city.
It’s desert surroundings are less than flattering, and the capital is gritty and loud, but at the same time there is a special kind of beauty in it, in the old colonial buildings, the rather tidy slums, and the sharp contrast between all of this and the modern architecture erected in recent years. Many travelers don’t stick around in Lima on their way to other, more obvious attractions, and many of the Peruvian capital’s sights go unnoticed.
However, if you take a second look at Lima, you’ll find that there are churches, colonial mansions, museums and even some pre-Columbian temples hiding in this chaotic city. If you find yourself passing through, don’t miss out on some of amazing attractions in Lima, Peru.
Museo Rafael Larco Herrera
This museum located in a beautiful 18th century mansion contains one of the largest collections of ceramics in the world. Over 50,000 ceramics are displayed in the museum, some dumped in a clutter of pot-covered walls, and other lovilingly labeled and given their space. The museum has some other curiosities as well, like exquisite Paracas weaving, and gold and silver objects, but the main draw of the museum is the collection of ancient pots with erotic illustrations.
Monastery of San Francisco
Pachacamac, photo by LWY
On the outside, the Monastery of San Francisco is a pretty sight, all 17th century Spanish Baroque painted in bright yellow, so it’s hardly surprising that it earned the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
But this picturesque building hides some rather gruesome catacombs as well, whose walls are covered in the bones of over 70,000 people.
Pachacamac
If you are interested in pre-Columbian culture, just outside the city you can the archaeological complex of Pachamac, an interesting jumble of adobe palaces and pyramid temples.
Although it might not seem as mysterious or imposing as Macchu Picchu, Pachamac was a very important Inca settlement when the conquistadors arrived. On site there is a museum containing artifacts discovered in Pachamac and various display about the history of the ruins.
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travel search by Travelgrove (get this widget)Iglesia de las Nazarenas
Rafael Larco Herrera Museum, photo by Bruce Tuten
Iglesia de las Nazarenas has the most interesting story of all the churches in Lima – it was built on the site of a former slave slum. One of the slaves painted an image of Christ on a wall, which mysteriously survived a tremendous earthquake in the middle of of the 17th century.
The church was built around this wall, and you can still see a piece of it in the main altar.
Convento de Los Descalzos
Convento de Los Descalzos, the Monastery of the Barefoot Friars, is a convent and museum dating back to the 16th century. The cloisters and the two ornate chapels are lovely, but the most interesting sights you can see in the museum are old wine-making tools and several hundred colonial paintings.
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