Lima travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

Lima, capital of Peru, is a modern city which, while constantly expanding, has also managed to maintain the elegance of its Historic Center. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Center, due to the large number of artistic monuments found there, Historic Lima is an enchanting haven of a period long gone. East of the Plaza de Armas at Ucayali 363 is Palacio Torre Tagle, the most famous palace in Lima and one of the most handsome in Peru. Visit both the colonial and modern sections of this “City of Kings”. Colonial sites include the lovely Plaza de Armas with its cathedral and palace, and the exquisite Torre Tagle Palace modern day seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Palace of Torre Tagle probably is the most significant mansion built at the beginning of the 11 centuty. Initially it belonged to Don Bernardine Jose of Tagle Portocarrero, fourth and last Marquess of Torre Tagle. The Peruvian state acquired it in 1918 and from 1919 it is the main headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru. It is made of artistic Limean architecture which describes its originality and also demonstrates the racially mixed contributions of the Viceroyalty of Peru, fitting them together harmoniously.

The main facade is made from stone in the first wing and plaster in the second. The style is Sevillian baroque with a strong Arabic influence. The materials used in its construction were brought from Spain, Panama and Central America. It has carved columns and finely worked balconies in dark wood, imitating colonial buildings. Apart from carved columns, the palace is distinguished by two finely worked balconies in dark wood. These balconies (or miradors) adapt the European architecture to vernacular Peruvian tradition. The interiors feature Sevillian tiles, plasterwork, wooden columns, lobed Moorish arches and soaring coffered ceilings. It is considered to have a true “Limeno” architectural originality, harmoniously combining Andalusian, Moorish, Criollo and Asian features.

One of the finest examples of colonial architecture to be found in Peru. Its facade features two superb carved wooden balconies and a Baroque stone doorway. The interior, decorated with Moorish arches, Sevillian tiles and soaring coffered ceilings, is particularly noteworthy. Today it is the seat of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The public cannot easily visit the inside, but some visits can be made by appointment only at the office of “Imagen Institucional del organismo público”.

The famous gold museum in Lima is one of the city’s top tourist attractions, and contains an enormous collection of 10,000 gold, silver and copper pieces, some of which are excellent. The museum was briefly closed in 2001, with the suspicion that many of the pieces on display are fakes. However, the museum is still well worth visiting. In addition to the precious metals, the museum has a fine collection of textiles, stone carvings and ceramics, including a large collection of erotic ceramics. However, the overall collection is poorly displayed and has appalling labelling. This private collection contains a staggering display of pre-Hispanic gold, Paracas textiles, and ceramics; some replicas be found within exhibits. There’s also an excellent bookshop, and large display of military objects connected with important people from world history. Peru’s Gold Museum also houses a valuable collection of old and modern weapons that ranks among the best in the world. The halls in this section show the Arms of the World Collection of armour, uniforms and various ancient war artifacts and weapons from various time periods around the world, some dating back to as long ago as 1300 B.C.
The Gold of Peru and Arms of the World Museums were founded by Miguel Mujica Gallo in 1968. Between both museums, 25,000 objects are on exhibition.
The museum’s founder and, until 1993, owner of the largest number of gold objects in the country, Miguel Mufica Gallo, died a few days before the cultural commission took up the case. Described by the magazine Carelas as “a hunter of tigers and elephants, and the biggest collector of pre-Columbian gold and arms in Peru”, Miguel Mujica Gallo, who was born in 1910, was ambassador in Austria and Spain and for a short time was minister of foreign affairs in the first government of Fernando Belaunde.

The Lima Cathedral is a Roman Catholic temple and is located in the Main Plaza of downtown Lima, Peru. It started its construction in 1535. It has been transformed many times, but it still conserves its colonial composition and facade. Lima’s cathedral is big, though not necessarily spectacular. Still, it is worth a visit due to its historical significance. It does have some interesting side chapels where we could watch the nuns maintaining the displays.

Lima’s cathedral is immense and ornate. The dominant structure on Lima’s central plaza, this is a must-see for the first-timer. Inside is the tomb of conquistador Francisco Pizarro, along with many pieces of art dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. There is an entrance fee, but the sight is well worth the 5 soles. Lima Cathedral has been affected by many earthquakes throughout its history. In 1609, its vaults were destroyed, and were rebuilt in 1615, at a lower height with a Gothic style. Again in 1746, it was almost entirely destroyed by a severe earthquake, and was rebuilt in 1758. In 1687, another earthquake destroyed the vaults of the Cathedral, followed by an earthquake in 1746, which destroyed its vaults and pillars. Almost after 200 years, another earthquake in 1940 damaged it a limited way, and restoration work was done in the same year.

The interior of Lima cathedral is attractive, with a delicate vaulted ceiling and a checkerboard floor. It is embellished with some impressive baroque furnishings, the most notable of which are the intricately carved choir stalls. The interior is remarkable for the intricate carving work of the wooden seats of the choir, the heavily ornamented “Inmaculada” chapel of Baroque style and an ivory Christ carved by Martinez Montaez, a splendid gift from King Charles V Entering the church and to the fight there is a chapel which holds the remains of the conqueror Francisco Pizarro. In the sacristy there is a museum of religious art. Inside are found colorful tiles from Seville, Spain (the largest collection in Lima), marble columns, and intricately carved cedar doors, cupolas, choir stalls, and stairways. A peaceful courtyard surrounded by arched passageways is found inside. You can see the five main rooms, the big hall and the dinning room on a guided tour. The visits are free, but it is necessary to make an arrangement two days before.
Under the nocturnal sky the cathedral beacons with much lights. Incredible is for the tourists.