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must-visit in LimaSquare & Landmark

Plaza de Armas

📍 Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor), Historic Centre of Lima, Peru
Plaza de Armas
1 photos
4.4/ 5.0
★★★★☆

Quick Facts

Location
Peru, Lima
Category
Square & Landmark
Duration
1-2 hours for the square itself; half a day with the Cathedral, guard change and San Francisco
Address
Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor), Historic Centre of Lima, Peru
Coordinates
-12.0460, -77.0420

Introduction

Lima's Plaza de Armas, also called Plaza Mayor, is the birthplace of the Peruvian capital: on 18 January 1535 Pizarro laid out the city here, and the square and its radiating streets survive in that layout today. On 28 July 1821 San Martin proclaimed Peru's independence from this square. It is the core of the Historic Centre of Lima, a World Heritage Site inscribed in 1988 and extended in 1991. Each side of the square has something. The Government Palace on the north side, also called the House of Pizarro, takes a whole block with an intense yellow neocolonial facade built in 1938 over Pizarro's original 1535 residence. The Archbishop's Palace of 1924 on the east side carries the most elaborate carved wooden balconies in the historic centre. The Municipal Palace sits on the southeast. The bronze fountain at the centre was cast in 1650 and is Lima's oldest public sculpture as well as the oldest fountain in the Americas still standing in its original location. The Cathedral of Lima to the east was begun in 1535, rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1687 and 1746, and took its present form by 1797, with twin towers about 40 metres high. Inside are fourteen side chapels, gilded colonial altarpieces and a seventeenth-century carved wooden choir stall, among the finest colonial woodwork in the Americas. The most interesting story here is a correction. For nearly a century the church displayed the wrong mummy. In 1977 workers found a lead box in the crypt containing Pizarro's skull and the hilt of his sword, with an inscription identifying him. DNA analysis completed in 1984 now puts the remains at roughly a ninety per cent chance of being authentic, meeting Peru's legal standard for verification. They lie in a glass case beside the main altar. The two best moments of the day are around midday and after dark. The guard change at the Government Palace starts with a trumpet call at about 11:45 and runs thirty to forty minutes with infantry, cavalry and a military band, free but needing a spot fifteen to thirty minutes early. After dark the facades are lit and the colonial arcades plus the fountain give Lima's classic image. Half a block away the Convent of San Francisco holds catacombs where some 25,000 remains are stacked in geometric patterns.

✨ Highlights

1
Where Lima was founded
Pizarro laid out the city here on 18 January 1535, and San Martin proclaimed independence on 28 July 1821.
2
The 1650 bronze fountain
Lima's oldest public sculpture and the oldest fountain in the Americas still in its original location.
3
Lima Cathedral
Begun 1535, rebuilt after two earthquakes, in present form by 1797, with 40 m towers and a 17th-century choir stall.
4
The Pizarro mystery
A lead box with his skull and sword hilt was found in the crypt in 1977; 1984 DNA work puts it at about 90 per cent.
5
Guard change at the palace
The 1938 yellow neocolonial facade; the cavalry regiment changes guard from about 11:45 for 30-40 minutes, free.
6
Archbishop's balconies
Built 1924 with the most elaborate carved wooden balconies in the historic centre, Lima's most photographed detail.

🛈 Practical Info

→Guard change：The palace guard change runs from about 11:45 for 30-40 minutes with infantry, cavalry and a band; arrive 15-30 minutes early for a spot
→Cathedral entry：Free during morning Mass, about 7:00-10:00, which is also the cheapest way to see the baroque interior; ticketed outside those hours
→Best time：Midday for the guard change, late afternoon into night for the lighting; both together make a half day
→Combine：Half a block to the San Francisco convent and catacombs; along Jiron de la Union south to Plaza San Martin
→Safety：Crowds mean pickpockets, so keep phones and wallets close and stick to lit streets at night; the Metropolitano from Miraflores is more reliable than a taxi
→Opening Hours：The square is open around the clock; the palace guard change runs from about 11:45 for 30-40 minutes; the Cathedral admits worshippers free during morning Mass, about 7:00-10:00.
→Transportation：In the heart of Lima's historic centre, walkable in the old town; about 20-30 min by bus or taxi from Miraflores, also served by the Metropolitano.

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
AdultFree

The square is free; the Cathedral and museum about S/15 (some sources say S/10); the San Francisco catacomb tour about S/20; the palace guard change is free.

💡 Tips

• The Cathedral admits visitors free during morning Mass, about 7:00-10:00, the cheapest way to see the baroque interior.
• The guard change starts about 11:45, so arrive 15-30 minutes early at the palace railings; it includes cavalry and a military band.
• Pizarro's remains were only found in a lead box in the crypt in 1977; the church had displayed the wrong mummy for nearly a century.
• The 1650 bronze fountain at the centre is the oldest in the Americas still in its original location, so do not treat it as background.
• Half a block away the San Francisco convent runs a 45-minute catacomb tour for about S/20.
• The facades are lit after dark, which is Lima's classic image, so do not leave after only seeing the square by day.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Plaza de Armas?

The square is open around the clock; the palace guard change runs from about 11:45 for 30-40 minutes; the Cathedral admits worshippers free during morning Mass, about 7:00-10:00.

How much is the admission for Plaza de Armas?

Adult: Free; The square is free; the Cathedral and museum about S/15 (some sources say S/10); the San Francisco catacomb tour about S/20; the palace guard change is free.

Any practical tips for visiting Plaza de Armas?

The Cathedral admits visitors free during morning Mass, about 7:00-10:00, the cheapest way to see the baroque interior. The guard change starts about 11:45, so arrive 15-30 minutes early at the palace railings; it includes cavalry and a military band.

How long should I spend at Plaza de Armas?

A typical visit takes 1-2 hours for the square itself; half a day with the Cathedral, guard change and San Francisco.

Compiled from public sources. Cathedral admission is quoted as either S/10 or S/15, and guard change and opening arrangements may change; check the notice on site.