Historic Centre of Lima

The Historic Centre of Lima (Spanish: Centro histórico de Lima) is the historic city centre of the city of Lima, the capital of Peru. Located in the city's districts of Lima and Rímac, both in the Rímac Valley, it consists of two areas: the first is the Monumental Zone established by the Peruvian government in 1972,^[1] and the second one—contained within the first one—is the World Heritage Site established by UNESCO in 1988,^[2] whose buildings are marked with the organisation's black-and-white shield.^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Historic Centre of Lima

UNESCO World Heritage Site
View of the Cathedral and the main square
Location	Lima, Peru
Criteria	Cultural: (iv)
Reference	500bis
Inscription	1988 (12th Session)
Extensions	1991, 2023
Area	259.36 ha (640.9 acres)
Buffer zone	766.7 ha (1,895 acres)
Coordinates	12°3′5″S 77°2′35″W
Location of Historic Centre of Lima in Peru

Founded on January 18, 1535, by Conquistador Francisco Pizarro, the city served as the political, administrative, religious and economic capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, as well as the most important city of Spanish South America.^[4] The evangelisation process at the end of the 16th century allowed the arrival of several religious orders and the construction of churches and convents. The University of San Marcos, the so-called "Dean University of the Americas", was founded on May 12, 1551, and began its functions on January 2, 1553 in the Convent of Santo Domingo.^[5]

Originally contained by the now-demolished city walls that surrounded it, the Cercado de Lima features numerous architectural monuments that have survived the serious damage caused by a number of different earthquakes over the centuries, such as the Convent of San Francisco, the largest of its kind in this part of the world.^[2][6] Many of the buildings are joint creations of artisans, local artists, architects and master builders from the Old Continent.^[2] It is among the most important tourist destinations in Peru.

1750 map of Lima and its walls.

The city of Lima, the capital of Peru, was founded by Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535, and given the name City of the Kings.^[7][8] Nevertheless, with time its original name persisted, which may come from one of two sources: Either the Aymara language lima-limaq (meaning "yellow flower"), or the Spanish pronunciation of the Quechuan word rimaq (meaning "talker", and actually written and pronounced limaq in the nearby Quechua I languages). It is worth nothing that the same Quechuan word is also the source of the name given to the river that feeds the city, the Rímac River (pronounced as in the politically dominant Quechua II languages, with an "r" instead of an "l"). Early maps of Peru show the two names displayed jointly.

Under the Viceroyalty of Peru, the authority of the viceroy as a representative of the Spanish monarchy was particularly important, since its appointment supposed an important ascent and the successful culmination of a race in the colonial administration. The entrances to Lima of the new viceroys were specially lavish. For the occasion, the streets were paved with silver bars from the gates of the city to the Palace of the Viceroy.^{[citation needed]}

In 1988, UNESCO declared the historic centre of Lima a World Heritage Site for its originality and high concentration of historic monuments constructed during the viceregal era.^[2][7] In 2023, it was expanded with two exclaves to include the Quinta and Molino de Presa and the Ancient Reduction of Santiago Apostle of Cercado.^[2]

Since the 2010s, Spanish–Peruvian real estate company Arte Express has been granted ownership of a number of buildings in the area, having been since restored.^[9][10] In 2021, as part of renovation works made in preparation for the bicentennial celebrations of that year, the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima installed 206 different QR codes across different landmarks of the centre that, when scanned, open a video that details the selected building's history.^[11]

On January 18, 2024, the city's 489th anniversary, president Dina Boluarte announced a "special regime" that targets the area in order to allow restoration and repair works to take place.^[12]

The World Heritage Site, divided into three zones,^[2] features a number of landmarks.

Historic Centre of Lima

The main zone is that of the Historic Centre of Lima (266.17 ha; buffer zone: 806.71 ha),^[2] which features the following:

List of Landmarks included within the UNESCO World Heritage Site
Name	Location	Notes	Photo
Balconies of Lima	Various	Over 1,600[citation needed] were built in total in both the viceregal and republican eras of the city. They have been crucial in UNESCO's declaration of the historic centre as a World Heritage Site.[2]
Acho Bullring	Jr. Marañón 569 Jr. Hualgayoc 332	It is the oldest bullring in the Americas[7] and the second-oldest in the world after La Maestranza, in Spain. It opened on January 30, 1766, and has a seating capacity of 13,700 people. A watch tower overlooks the bullring since 1858.[13]
Aero Club del Perú	Jr. Unión 718, 722, 726, 732	The building was owned by Juan Bautista Palacios, Knight of the Order of Santiago, and rented by the Aero Club del Perú since 1935, who used it as its headquarters. It eventually ceased to be used by the club and was later turned into a commercial gallery.
Alameda Chabuca Granda		The promenade is built in the site of the former Polvos Azules marketplace, itself occupying the former site of the Venetian Palace. Named after singer-songwriter Chabuca Granda, it features an auditorium and a large sculpture.
Alameda de los Descalzos		One of the best-known places in the district, around it stand a number of churches and the former residence of Micaela Villegas.
Archbishop's Palace	Jr. Junín & Carabaya	The home of the Archbishop of Lima, it was turned into an episcopal seat in 1541 by Pope Paul III and rebuilt in 1924 by architects Claude Sahut and Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski as part of the city works commissioned by Augusto B. Leguía in preparation of the centennial celebrations of the Battle of Ayacucho.[14]
Banco Internacional del Perú (1923)	Jr. Sta. Rosa	The building dates back to 1923 and formerly served as the headquarters of the bank of the same name. It is one of several buildings owned by Arte Express.[9]
Banco Internacional del Perú (1942)	Plazoleta de la Merced	The property was purchased in 1942, where the bank constructed its building, designed by architects Rafael Marquina y Bueno and José Álvarez Calderón, to house its agency. In 2011, its structure was remodelled to house two shopping malls: Oechsle and Plaza Vea.[15]
Banco Italiano	Jr. Lampa & Ucayali	The building, a property of the bank of the same name, was inaugurated on April 21, 1929, coinciding with both the 40th anniversary of the bank's creation and the founding of Rome.[16] It was designed by architect Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski.[17]
Banco del Perú y Londres	Jr. Azángaro & Huallaga	Named after the bank of the same name, it was designed by architect Julio Ernesto Lattini in 1905.[18] The work was commissioned by the bank's director, José Payán [es].[19] It was later acquired by the Banco Popular del Perú.[20] After the bank declared bankruptcy in the 1990s, it was acquired by Congress and is currently known as the Edificio Luis Alberto Sánchez, named after the APRA politician.
Banco Wiese	Jr. Carabaya & Cuzco	Originally the seat of a bank of the same name, it was designed by Enrique Seoane Ros and inaugurated on December 6, 1963, in a ceremony attended by president Fernando Belaúnde. Around 2002, the bank building was remodelled to accommodate a Metro supermarket.[15]	—
Basilica and Convent of Saint Augustine	Jr. Camaná & Ica	Located in front of a public square of the same name, it has been run by the Augustinian friars since its foundation, and belongs to the Province of Our Lady of Grace of Peru.
Basilica and Convent of Saint Dominic	Jr. Camaná & Conde de Superunda	The 16th century complex, originally named after Our Lady of the Rosary, is named after Saint Dominic. It is also the site where the Royal University of Lima was founded in 1551, and was elevated to basilica in 1930. A square named after María Escobar [es] is located across the street.[21]
Basilica and Convent of Saint Francis	Jr. Áncash & Lampa	The 17th century complex is named after Francis of Assisi. It is the site of the Museum of Religious Art and of the Zurbarán Room, as well as an underground network of galleries and catacombs that served as a cemetery during the Viceregal era.
Basilica and Convent of Saint Peter	Jr. Azángaro & Ucayali	The 17th century complex, formerly named after Saint Paul and featuring a college of the same name, is named after Saint Peter since 1767. It is the burial site of Viceroy Ambrosio O'Higgins, as well as the site of the heart of the Viceroy Count of Lemos.[22]
Basilica and Convent of Our Lady of Mercy	Jr. Unión & Sta. Rosa	The 16th century complex is named after Our Lady of Mercy, who serves as the patroness of the Peruvian Armed Forces. Its Churrigueresque style dates back to the 18th century. The public square next to it was the location of one of José de San Martín's proclamations of the independence of Peru in 1821.[23]
Caja de Depósitos y Consignaciones	Jr. Huallaga 400	Designed by Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski, the building was completed in 1917 and housed the private bank of the same name until its nationalisation in 1963.[24] It was subsequently donated by the Peruvian government to the National Superior Autonomous School of Fine Arts on September 27, 1996.
Casa de la A.A.A.	Jr. Ica 323	The building houses a theatre company and cultural institution founded on June 13, 1938.	—
Casa Alarco	Jr. Callao 482	The house is named after the family of the same name, and features two commemorative plaque at its entrance. They commemorate the lives of Antonio Alarco Espinosa, who died at the battle of Callao,[25] and Juana Alarco de Dammert, who was born there in 1842.
Casa Aliaga	Jr. Unión 225	The building—the oldest in the city—dates back to May 1536, belonging to Conquistador Jerónimo de Aliaga [es] and built on top of a pre-Columbian sanctuary. It was destroyed by the earthquake of 1746 and rebuilt by Juan José Aliaga y Sotomayor. In the 19th century a series of works were carried out.[26]
Casa Arenas Loayza	Jr. Junín 270	Unlike many other similar residences from the mid-19th century, its plan does not develop around a central patio or in general around any axis. Its interior is decorated with plasterwork with a floral motif. The ground floor is mostly intended for longitudinal shops.
Casa Aspíllaga	Jr. Ucayali 391	Named after politician Ántero Aspíllaga Barrera [es], who lived there. It was first registered in 1685, and its current design corresponds to a 19th-century neoclassical republican style. It was acquired by the state in 1953 and administered by the Foreign Ministry. It currently functions as the Inca Garcilaso Cultural Centre.
Casa Barbieri	Jr. Callao & Rufino Torrico	Originally the property of the Cabildo of Lima prior to the 1748 earthquake and then of the counts of Villar de Fuentes, it was purchased by Manuel Fernando Barbieri Sprinborn in the 1920s, who renovated it. A devout Catholic, he died at home, having been cared for by the nuns of the convent San José, in Barrios Altos. These nuns inherited the building in 1975 and later put it up for sale.[27]
Casa Barragán [es]	Jr. Unión & Av. Emancipación	Named after Genaro Barragán Urrutia [es], who had it built, it was best known for housing the Palais Concert, an entertainment venue inspired by the Café de la Paix in Paris that featured a bar, coffee shop and cinema that attracted the city's intellectuals during the early 20th century. The bar closed in 1930, and the building was subsequently repurposed as a mall that included a nightclub, the Discoteca Cerebro, until it was ultimately purchased by Ripley S.A. in 2011, opening its department store a year later.
Casa Bodega y Quadra	Jr. Áncash 209, 213 & 217	Located on the remains of a terrain that dates back to the Viceroyalty of Peru, it illustrates the daily life of people during the Spanish and Republican era of the city. It is named after the final family that owned it during the 17th century.
Casa Bolognesi	Jr. Cailloma 125	Located at the birthplace of Francisco Bolognesi, it currently functions as a house museum dedicated to the War of the Pacific and the battle where he died in 1880.
Casa Candamo	Jr. Carabaya & Ucayali	The building dates back to the mid 19th century, and is named after Manuel Candamo, who lived there. Candamo was twice president of Peru in 1895 and from 1093 to 1904.
Casa de Correos y Telégrafos	Jr. Conde de Superunda 170	Originally the city's post office since 1872, it now hosts two museums: one dedicated to philately, inaugurated in 1931, and another one dedicated to Peruvian cuisine, opened in 2011.
Casa Courret	Jr. Unión 459	Designed by architect Enrique Ronderas, this building housed the studio of photographer Eugène Courret until 1906, when he was succeeded by Adolphe Dubreuil [es]. The studio was one of the most prolific of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as the photographs taken there formed the archive that served as a graphic encyclopedia for the history of the city.[28]
Casa de la Columna	Jr. Conde de Superunda	Originally a cloister that formed part of the nearby Convent of Saint Dominic, it currently serves as the residence of over 200 people that have inhabited the building for generations since the 19th century.[29]	—
Casa de la Cultura Criolla	Jr. Moquegua 376	The 18th century building was the residence of songwriter Rosa Mercedes Ayarza for the final 29 years of her life. In 2022, a museum named after her was inaugurated in 2022, featuring a section dedicated to Ayarza and other sections detailing the history of the building, among other things.[30]
Casa de Divorciadas	Jr. Carabaya 641	Built in the 18th century, it originally functioned as a residence for divorced women.[31] It is currently operated by de Charity of Lima.[32]
Casa Dubois	Jr. Unión 780	Also known as the Casa de Piedra, it was designed by Jacob Wrey Mould and built using materials brought from New York City and Scotland.[33] During the centennial celebrations in 1921, due to the lack of space in the city, the Dubois family offered to house the visiting Pontificial delegation, who were guarded by the presidential guard during their stay.[34] It currently houses the Cinestar Excelsior, a movie theatre.
Casa de los duques de San Carlos	Jr. Junín 387 & Azángaro	The house is named after the noble family that owned it, and during the Peruvian War of Independence, it housed Simón Bolívar in 1823 upon his arrival to Lima to consolidate the country's independence. It was declared a National Monument in 1972 and is currently the residence of 30 families and the location of a restaurant.[35]
Casa Federico Elguera	Jr. Huallaga 458–466	The 19th-century building originally served as a residence, later modified to house several families. Its best known inhabitant was politician Federico Elguera, who served as mayor of Lima from 1901 to 1908. A plaque in his honour is found next to the entrance, while the building has been repurposed as a commercial gallery.[36]
Casa Fernandini	Jr. Ica 400	The building was designed by Claude Sahut in an eclectic style for the miner Eulogio Fernandini and his family. It is currently a museum where cultural activities take place regularly.
Casa de Goyeneche	Jr. Ucayali 358	The 959.20 m2 two-storey building was built during the 18th century and is named after the family that formerly owned it. After passing through a series of different owners, it was ultimately acquired by the Banco de Crédito del Perú in 1971.[37]
Casa Grau	Jr. Huancavelica 170 & 172	For 12 years, the building served as the residence of Peruvian War hero Miguel Grau. It currently functions as a house museum dedicated to his memory.
Casa Gutiérrez	Jr. Unión & Cuzco	The 16th century building is named after Pedro Gutiérrez, the tailor who owned it in 1537. In 1872, it was remodelled by José Jiménez (also being known as the Casa Jiménez), making most of the building look like it did when it was first built. It was renovated in 1940 by the Compañía de Seguros Atlas in honour of the city's 450th anniversary. Restoration works were carried out in the 1980s under the direction of architect José Correa Orbegoso.
Casa Gutiérrez de Coca	Jr. Carabaya 460	Also known simply as the Casona Coca, the building dates back to 1780, being significantly modified up until the 19th century.[38] It is one of many buildings restored by Arte Express.[9]	—
Casa Harth	Jr. Azángaro & Junín	The building, which dates back to 1755,[9] was owned by Antonio de Querejazu y Mollinedo [es], who served as oidor and belonged to one of the richest families of the city. It was eventually acquired by Teodoro Harth and his company, founded in 1854, receiving its current name.[39] It was purchased by Arte Express in 2019.[39]
Casa L'eau Vive	Jr. Ucayali 370	The building is the property of the Archdiocese of Lima and houses the L’Eau Vive del Perú restaurant since 1982, operated by a group of nuns from Peru, Vietnam, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya. Due to its religious nature, it is in charge of feeding locals in need.[40]
Casa de la Literatura Peruana	Jr. Áncash & Carabaya	Originally a train station named after the adjacent church, the building has since been converted into a cultural centre that was inaugurated on October 20, 2009.
Casa de Manuel Atanasio Fuentes	Jr. Sta. Rosa 360	Named after Manuel Atanasio Fuentes [es], the writer and journalist who lived there, it housed the General Directorate of Public Instruction during the early 20th century. A plaque installed in 1935 is dedicated to his memory.
Casa Marcionelli	Jr. Carabaya 955	Built by Swiss businessman Severino Marcionelli, it housed his offices, a consulate of Switzerland, and was eventually burned down in 2023, with only the first floor's façade remaining.[41][42]
Casa Mendoza	Jr. Junín 429	The building was owned by Francisco Mendoza Ríos y Caballero in 1857, owned by his descendants until 1943, when it was sold to the Viuda de Piedra e hijos company.[43]
Casa de Moneda	Jr. Junín 781	The building's houses the national mint of the country, whose origin dates back to 1565.
Casa del Oidor	Jr. Junín & Carabaya	The building was built on two of the four plots that made up one of the 117 blocks into which Lima was initially divided. Also damaged and rebuilt after the 1746 earthquake,[44] it is best known for the large balcony that runs through its façade.[45]
Casa O'Higgins	Jr. Unión 554	Named after Bernardo O'Higgins, who lived and died there, it is currently operated by the Riva-Agüero Institute.
Casa de Osambela	Jr. Conde de Superunda 298	Built on the former grounds of a novitiate of the Dominican Order that was destroyed during the 1746 earthquake, it is currently the headquarters of the Academia Peruana de la Lengua and the regional office of the Organization of Ibero-American States.
Casa de Pilatos	Jr. Áncash 390	Built in the late 16th century, it was occupied by various families of the aristocracy of Lima for most of its history,[46][47] being purchased by the government during the 20th century. It currently functions as the de facto headquarters of the Constitutional Court.
Casa Pygmalión	Jr. Unión 471	Designed by the Masperi Brothers, the building was commissioned by the Moreyra y Riglos family.[48][49] The building served as a clothing store during the early 20th century, importing clothes and fabric from Europe.
Casa Rehder	Jr. Unión 483	The building bears the sign of the prominent department store that existed during the early 20th century. It was purchased in 1955 by Fred Noetzli and succeeded by the Casa Mercaderes S.A., of the same purpose. It changed hands again in 1962.[50]
Casa de Ricardo Palma	Jr. Ayacucho 358, 364	The house, located in the third block of the street, is the birthplace of Peruvian writer Ricardo Palma (1833–1919) and his residence during the first five years of his life.[51] It features a bronze plaque dedicated to his memory, added to the building in 1920.[52] It currently functions as a clothing store.[53][54][55]
Casa Rímac	Jr. Junín 323[56]	Formerly the headquarters of the Compañía International de Seguros del Perú, it continues to bear the name of the company. The Spanish–Peruvian real estate company Arte Express acquired the building, establishing it as its headquarters.[9]
Casa Riva-Agüero	Jr. Camaná 459	This house was constructed in the 18th century by the Riva Agüero family, whose last member, the intellectual José de la Riva-Agüero, donated it to the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. It currently serves as the headquarters of the university's Riva-Agüero Institute, where its archive and library are located.
Casa de San Martín de Porres	Jr. Callao 534	The house is the birthplace of Martín de Porres, a member of the Dominican Order who was beatified in 1837 and canonised in 1962. It currently functions as a museum dedicated to his life, also serving as a soup kitchen and meeting place for people in need.[57]
Casa de ejercicios de Santa Rosa de Lima	Jr. Sta. Rosa 448	The building serves as a spiritual retreat and a museum dedicated to its history, as well as that of Rose of Lima, after which it's named.[58]
Casa de la Torre	Jr. Ayacucho & Junín	The house is named after Manuel C. de la Torre,[59] who lived there and fought in the Morro de Arica during the War of the Pacific. A plaque installed in 2021 is dedicated to his memory.
Casa de las Trece Monedas	Jr. Áncash 536	The building belonged to the López-Flores family, Counts of Puente Pelayo, owing its name to the thirteen coins featured in the family's coat of arms. It currently operates as the National Afro-Peruvian Museum.
Casa de las Trece Puertas	Jr Áncash & Lampa	Its name comes from the number of doors it has, a total of thirteen. It originally had nine doors when it was built during the 17th century, eventually growing due to the number of businesses housed in the building. Destroyed during the 1746 earthquake, the current building was built in the Rococo style[60] between 1864 and 1872, acquired by the Provincial Council of Lima in 1975 and ultimately restored from 2007 to 2009.[61]
Casa Welsch	Jr. Unión & Ica	The Art Nouveau-style building is named after the German retail company of the same name.[62] The company's history dates back to the 19th century, although its building was inaugurated on December 11, 1909. Its architects were Raymundo and Guido Masperi. In 1942, due to the anti-German sentiment caused by World War II, its Longines clock was replaced by an IBM one instead after the building was attacked. The store ultimately closed in 1991.[63]
Catacombs of Lima	Basilica and Convent of St. Francis	The extensive underground network was built c. 1600[64] and functioned as a cemetery until 1810,[65] with some 25,000 bodies lying within.[66] It was reopened in 1950,[65] currently working as a museum.
Church and Monastery of the Immaculate Conception	Av. Abancay & Jr. Huallaga	Originally founded in 1573, it was once one of the largest and most important in the city, although it has been modified as its terrain was reduced over time, most notably to build a supermarket during the 19th century and then due to the widening of Abancay street. The current church building dates back to the late 17th century, the work of Fr. Diego Maroto.[67]
Church and Monastery of Saint Rose of the Nuns	Jr. Ayacucho & Sta. Rosa	Built in the 17th and 18th centuries, it consists of the church and monastery next to the house in which Saint Rose of Lima lived and spent the last three months of her life until her death in her room on August 24, 1617. Said room has since been converted into a chapel.[68]
Church of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph	Jr. Camaná & Moquegua	Built in 1678,[69] it functioned as a shelter for orphaned and abandoned youth owned by a couple, eventually becoming a religious complex through donations.
Church of the Tabernacle	Jr. Carabaya 220	Also known as the Sagrario Metropolitano de Lima, it is located between the Archbishop's Palace and the Cathedral. It dates back to 1665 and hosts a large number of records within its archive.
Church of Saint Anne	Italy Square	Named after the former hospital, it is one of two candidates for the location of Rímac, the oracle that give the city its name. It gave the adjacent square its name until 1910, when it was renamed in honour of a statue to Antonio Raimondi, an Italian–Peruvian geographer and scientist.
Church of Saint Camillus	Jr. Áncash & Paruro	Named after the order based there, it was rebuilt after the 1746 earthquake and currently houses a health centre. Inside of the church is a statue by Juan Martínez Montañés.[70]
Church of the Sacred Heart	Jr. Azángaro 776	Rebuilt after the 1746 earthquake, it was inaugurated on April 6, 1766. It is the only Catholic temple in Peru and Latin America with an elliptical plan, similar to those of Austria, and is designed in the Rococo limeño style.
Church of Saint Lazarus	Av. Francisco Pizarro & Jr. Trujillo	Built in 1586, it was the first church built in the area. Since then it has been rebuilt several times after being damaged due to the many earthquakes the city has experienced. Up until the 19th century, the church gave the neighbourhood of San Lázaro its name, until it separated from Lima District as Rímac District.[71]
Church of Saint Liberata	Jr. 22 De Agosto 100	The church was first built in 1716, with the Cruciferous Fathers of Good Death taking charge of its administration from 1745 to 1826. Its name comes from the patron saint of Sigüenza, the hometown of then Viceroy Diego Ladrón de Guevara.
Church of Saint Sebastian	Jr. Chancay & Ica	It is the third parish to be built in Lima, founded in 1554. Its altarpiece dates back to the 18th century, and its fountain dates back to 1888.
Church of the Trinitarians	Jr. Áncash 790	The land was originally occupied by the Beaterio de las Trinitarias, which became a convent. The church originated as part of that monastery and was completed in 1722.
Church of Our Lady of Copacabana	Jr. Chiclayo 400	Rebuilt after the 1746 earthquake with funds from its resident brotherhood and from local devotees, it is shaped like a Latin cross, with short arms and a dressing room behind the front wall.
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel	Jr. Junín & Huánuco	The church was originally established as a retreat for poor girls at the beginning of the 17th century, becoming a monastery in 1625. The restoration works that followed the earthquakes 1687 and 1940 made major changes in its floor plan.
Church of Our Lady of Patronage	Jr. Manco Cápac 164	The beguinage and the first chapel were completed in 1688, while the temple as a whole was only completed in 1754. In 1919, the beguinage was transformed into the convent of the Dominican nuns of the Most Holy Rosary.
Church of Our Lady of the Rosary	Jr. Trujillo	The 16th-century church is also known as the "Chapel of the Bridge" after the bridge located one block away. It is best known for its 50 m2 area, which makes it the smallest in the country and a popular tourist attraction.[72]
Church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary	Av. Garcilaso de la Vega 1131	Built in 1606, it had to be restored after the earthquakes of 1687 and 1746, and a fire in 1868.[73] A statue donated by the city's French colony was placed in the public square in front of the church as part of the centennial celebrations of 1921.
Church of Saint Marcellus	Av. Emancipación & Jr. Rufino Torrico	The church dates back to 1551, being one of the oldest in the city. It was granted the title of parish by Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo thirty-four years after the arrival of the Augustinians.[74] A small square of the same name is located across the street.
Club Nacional	Plaza San Martín	Founded on October 19, 1855, it has been the meeting place for the Peruvian aristocracy throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, as its members are members of the most distinguished and wealthy families in the country.
Club de la Unión	Jr. Unión 364	Founded on October 10, 1868, it is headquartered at the palace of the same name, itself inaugurated in 1942. Its founders include notable historical figures of the history of Peru, many of which served during the War of the Pacific.
Convent of Our Lady of the Angels	Alameda de los Descalzos	The convent was founded in 1595 by the Franciscan Order and under the auspices of Archbishop Toribio de Mogrovejo. In 1981, a museum was opened in its premises.
Convent of the Venturous Mary Magdalene	Plaza Francia	Ownership of the Dominican convent passed on to the Charity of Lima after Peru's independence. The Pontifical Catholic University of Peru was inaugurated in this building, and its first classes were dictated in the same place.[75][76]
Diario El Comercio	Jr. Lampa & Santa Rosa	The building, which houses the newspaper of the same name, is located at the site of a single-storey building that also served as the headquarters of the newspaper, which was burned down by a mob in 1919 alongside the director's residence. It was rebuilt from 1921 to 1924 with a new fortress-inspired design.
Edificio Aldabas-Melchormalo	Jr. Azángaro & Huallaga	Also known simply as the Edificio Aldabas, the Art Deco building dates back to 1933.
Edificio Atlas	Jr. Huancavelica & Caylloma	Built for an insurance company of the same name, it won the Gold Medal from the Municipality of Lima for Best Building of 1955, awarded on the Fiestas Patrias.
Edificio Belén	Av. Uruguay & Jr. Camaná	The Tambo de Belén, one of the first buildings in the country, was designed by Rafael Marquina y Bueno built in 1930. A residential building, it was the home to figures such as Honorio Delgado.[77] It was one of many buildings restored by real estate company Arte Express.[9]
Edificio Beytia	Jr. Azángaro & Ucayali	The multi-purpose building once served as one of the sites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[78]
Edificio Boza	Plaza San Martín	The neo-colonial building was designed by José Álvarez-Calderón and Emilio Harth Terré [es]. It was inaugurated in the 1930s and is one of the largest buildings that surround the public square.
Edificio Cine Metro	Plaza San Martín	A project by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was designed by architect José Álvarez Calderón (with contributions by Guillermo Payet and Schimanetz Fernando) and inaugurated in May 1936 with a capacity of 1390 people. It was renovated in 1956 to install an air conditioning system and ultimately closed in 2000.[79]
Edificio de la Compañía Peruana de Teléfonos	Jr. Santa Rosa 159	The building was made to house the telephone company of the same name. Polish–Peruvian architect Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski oversaw the modernisation of the façade in 1929. It is currently owned by Arte Express.
Edificio El Buque	Jr. Junín & Cangallo	Named after its resemblance to a ship, it was built in the 19th century in a 1,131 m² plot. Originally sporting marble staircases with bronze handrails and wooden balconies, it was built with the purpose of being the first housing complex after independence, being able to house 70 families in total. It has since been declared inhabitable, the result of a series of fires in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2022 that neighbours blame on the drug addicts that sneak into the building through a hole made in a wall.[80]
Edificio Encarnación	Jr. Apurímac 224 & Carabaya	The area was originally the location of a monastery of the same name, the first to be founded in the city, on March 25, 1558. The city's growth led to its reduction in size, and eventually its move to Brazil Avenue after it was irreparably damaged by the 1940 earthquake and the fire it caused.[81] The building itself dates back to 1947, when it was commissioned by the Compañía de Seguros Italia to be built by Flores y Costa SA. The cabaret in its basement, known as the Embassy, was one of its best-known features.[82] It is currently owned by Arte Express.[9]
Edificio Fénix	Av. Colmena & Jr. Carabaya	The building was built in 1934 to house La Fénix Peruana, an insurance company, in the terrain formerly occupied by the Monastery of the Incarnation, after which another building is named. It was acquired by Arte Express in 2005.[9][83]
Edificio Fernando Belaúnde Terry	Jr. Huallaga 364	The building, a property of the National Congress, houses the a bookstore in its entrance and the Library of Congress of Peru in its basement.
Edificio Ferrand	Av. Uruguay	The building, designed by Rafael Marquina y Bueno, was where one of the first Ford del Perú S.A. stores in the country was opened, and also served as the residence of the German consul and delegation before relations were severed due to World War II. Therefore, it was the meeting place for people who supported Adolf Hitler and his system of government. Between both buildings is the first block of what would have been known as Paraguay Avenue, whose path would've continued towards the Plaza Bolognesi, but was abandoned.[77] The Belén is one of the buildings that have been purchased by Arte Express.[9]
Edificio Giacoletti	Plaza San Martín	The building dates back to 1912, and originally featured Art Nouveau decorations on its façade, which were removed in the 1940s. A fire burnt down most of the building in 2018.[84]
Edificio Gildemeister	Jr. Azangaro 235, 259	Built between 1927 and 1928 by the Compañía General de Construcciones del Perú and designed by Werner Benno Lange, it was one of the first five-storey buildings of the city and had two elevators: the first for the owner and the second for the rest of its occupants. It is named after Gildemeister y Cia, the sugar production company based in a mill in La Libertad.[37]
Edificio Guardia Real	Plaza Mayor	One of the buildings that surround the main square of the city, its façade was modified alongside the rest of the buildings to the south and west of the square during the early 20th century.
Edificio Italia	Jr. Sta. Rosa 191	The building is named after the Compañía de Seguros Italia, an insurance company, who commissioned its construction to Fred T. Ley's construction firm.[85] It is one of several buildings owned by Arte Express.[9]
Edificio Javier Alzamora Valdez	Av. Abancay & Colmena	Formerly the headquarters of the Ministry of Education, it's the main location of the Superior Court of Justice of Lima, part of the Judiciary of Peru.[86] It also houses a theatre named after Felipe Pardo y Aliaga.