The capital and largest city of Peru, Lima is located on the country's Pacific coast, on the western side of South America. Nicknamed the “City of Kings,” Lima is almost 500 years old, making it one of the oldest cities in South America. During colonial times, Lima was Spain's most important port on the Pacific Ocean.

Places of interest

The historic center of Lima is famous for its colonial buildings, including the Torre Tagle Palace, the 18th-century cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, the Presidential Palace, and the San Francisco Convent, under which are tombs and catacombs. Tourists can take tours of several of these buildings and watch the changing of the guard at the Presidential Palace. Enclosed wooden balconies overlook the city streets from many of the oldest houses downtown.

The city districts of San Isidro and Miraflores are known for their tall office buildings, large parks, and wealthy neighborhoods. The Barranco district became a beach resort in the 1600s, and it is now the home of many artists. The Chorrillos district has the nation's most famous military school, where many of Peru's military and political leaders have studied.

Economy

Lima is the most important economic center in Peru. The city has Peru's largest number of industries, government services, banks, schools, shopping centers, restaurants, and office buildings. Products made there include electronics, medicines, foods, cement, plastics, clothes, and furniture. The city of Callao, which is next to Lima, is the country's busiest port.

History

People have lived in the Lima area for thousands of years. Even before the time of the Inca empire, a shrine called Pachacamac was located there. It was one of the most important religious sites in the Andes region of South America, and it contained many gold treasures.

The Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro founded the city of Lima in 1535. It soon became Spain's main port in the region, and it was made the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. For most of the next 300 years, Lima exported huge amounts of gold and silver to Spain.

A powerful earthquake struck in 1746, destroying numerous buildings including the cathedral, which was later rebuilt. In the 1820s, during the wars of independence between Spain and its Latin American colonies, Lima was a Spanish stronghold. At the end of the wars, it was one of the last cities to gain independence.

Lima began to grow quickly in the 1850s. A railroad was built between Lima and its port, Callao, in 1851. Other railways were soon built between Lima and suburbs such as Miraflores. These districts later became part of greater Lima. The city suffered greatly from 1881 to 1883, however, when troops from Chile occupied it, stole many of its treasures, and destroyed the National Library.

The city grew quickly again in the 1920s and 1930s, when highways were built between Lima and other parts of Peru. Lima became a magnet for people wishing to find better jobs and improve their lives. By the late 1990s, Lima was home to one out of every three Peruvians. Population (1998 estimate), 7,060,600.