Foundation And History Of Lima

by gvanegas

Foundation and History of Lima

Article by Hortense Soulier

Although travelers to Peru tend to leave Lima aside, and often choose to spend most of their time in the beautiful city of Cusco and visiting World Wonder Machu Picchu, the capital of Peru has much to offer and is a fascinating teller of the history of the country. Cusco, literally meaning navel of the world in the indigenous language, was indeed the capital of the glorious Inca regime and as such holds countless treasures that constitute the highlight of any trip to Peru.

Nowadays, however, and since the Spanish conquered the country and imposed their rule, Cusco has lost its status of capital of Peru, and has been replaced by Lima. The city of the kings Ciudad de los Reyes was founded on January 5, 1535, by Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro in honor of the Epiphany, a Catholic feast celebrating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. The coastal location of Lima, with its sheltered port in Callao, large plain and constant water supply from the Rio Rimac, is ideal, and explains how the city has expanded so much and is now home to over a third of the population of Peru.

Lima only became the capital in 1542, when Spain declared it capital of its Viceroyalty of Peru, region which comprised most of South America at the time. This is when Lima became a real center, another navel of the world, at least for Latin America. The city rapidly grew into a leading Spanish colonial port, a university was founded in 1551, and Spanish inquisition arrived in 1569, giving it even more importance. Lima adopted its name, deriving from the Quechua word rimac, in the 16th century.

The city endured much damage in the 1867 and 1746 earthquakes, which almost destroyed the entire capital, killing tens of thousands of people. The port of Callao was even swept away by an extraordinarily violent tsunami. Reconstruction took a long time and this explains why most buildings date back to after this date. One of the only surviving structures, and a highlight on any tour of Lima, is the beautiful Monastery of San Francisco, which also houses the citys catacombs.

Limas power began to wane in the 18th century as other viceroyalties were created in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Bogota, Colombia. The city was to experience a renewed period of prosperity after independence, becoming a major center of the guano trade. Its population truly began growing to reach its current outstanding numbers in the 20th century, but this expansion is much associated with poverty and crime which are dominant in Perus capital. Nevertheless, the city is home to beautiful remnants of the colonial era and is definitely a must-see on any Peru vacation.

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