Francisco Pizarro itself began the construction of this
Church on a Monday, January 18th in the year of 1535,
thus founding the so called Ciudad de los Reyes, or City
of the Kings. Its original name was Iglesia de Nuestra
Señora de La Asunción - Church of Our Lady of Ascension,
and it extended over the area actually occupied by the
Atrium of the Cathedral. It was inaugurated with great
pomp on March 11th, 1540.
On May 14th, 1541 it was raised to the range of
Cathedral of the Bishopric of Lima. In 1550 the
construction of a second Cathedral began, this one
larger than the first. In this building, in the Capilla
Mayor or Main Chapel, was deposited the urn containing
the remains of the slain Francisco Pizarro, Founder of
the City of Lima.
In 1564, the architect Alonso Beltrán designed the
layout of the third version of the Cathedral Church,
which included three naves, several chapels and lateral
niches. The construction got started after new areas
were added between the Huallaga and Lampa Streets.
Twenty years later, architect Francisco Becerra modified
the earlier plan and hence directed the construction of
what became, at least in its layout, the actual
Cathedral. In 1604 a part of it was inaugurated while
the remaining structures where still being demolished.
The Basilica Cathedral of Lima, constituted by the
façade, altars and vaults is regarded as the oldest
Colonial architectonical work in the Peruvian Capital
City.
Due to the earthquakes that frequently devastated the
City, the Church has been re-constructed and modified
more than once. It presently comprises several
architectonical styles, though the Renascence style
clearly predominates. It shows a layout of three naves
and fourteen lateral chapels.
Among its most notable Altars can be mentioned La
Concepción, San Juan Bautista, Santo Domingo de
Mogrovejo and La Virgen de la Evangelización.
The stools of the chorus of the Major Altar are regarded
as works of art done in carved wood, representing
several Catholic saints. In one chapel stands a glass
urn wherein lie the supposed mortal remains of Francisco
Pizarro.
The Cathedral keeps a beautiful image of Nuestra Señora
de la Asunción - Our Lady of Ascension, the Chapel of La
Inmaculada with its Churrigueresque style, a Christ in
carved ivory and the Virgen de la Evangelización,
crowned by the Pope John Paul II during his visit to the
City in 1985.
The Cathedral also contains the Museo de Arte Religioso
or Museum of Religious Art, where are kept liturgical
devices, paintings from the Schools of Lima, Cusco and
Ayacucho from the 17th and 18th Centuries, besides an
important collection of canvasses, sculptures, chalices
and chasubles.
Among the great art works stands out a series of the
Zodiac of the Bassano (16th and 17th Centuries). It also
contains the ceremonial outfits that the priests wear
during the different religious festivities, adorned in
golden and silver embroidery, strewn with diverse
precious stones.
Next to the Cathedral is located the Iglesia del
Sagrario Church, current Parish of the Historical Centre
of Lima. Beside this Church is the Palacio Arzobispal or
Archbishopric Palace, in a Neo-plateresque style, whose
balconies stand out in the Main Square. In the area
behind one can find the Archivo Arzobispal Archives that
store valuable documents from the Colonial era.
The Cathedral of Lima is a part of the Cultural
Patrimony of Humanity. This is the oldest Church in
South America and in times of the Spanish domain was the
seat of the religious power of the Spanish Viceroyalty.
El Retablo de la Inmaculada Concepción - Altarpiece of
The Immaculate Conception
This altarpiece was done by the master artisan Asencio
Salas and consecrated on June 17th, 1654. It is regarded
as the most notable altarpiece in Lima dating back to
the mid XVII Century. It belongs to a generation prior
to the introduction of the so called Solomon columns,
kind of spiralled pillars. There are four groups with
three Corinth columns each presenting different heights
and widths.
It was modified after the Earthquake of 1678. The
central body was enlarged and carved panelling was
installed by the sculptor Francisco Martínez.
The Altarpiece, which had been previously gilded in 1655
by Francisco Vásquez, was gilded again in 1696 by
Jacinto Mincha. Later on, a renaissance sculpture by
Roque Valduque was donated by the Spanish Emperor
Charles the Fifth.
Location:
East side of the Main Plaza of Lima.
Jiron Carabaya, between Junín and Huallaga Streets.
Phone: (511) 427-9647.
Visiting hours: Mondays through Saturdays from
10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
SANTO DOMINGO - CHURCH AND CONVENT
The same day Francisco Pizarro founded Lima, he handed
over the lot presently occupied by their church to the
Order of the Dominicans, located in Jiron Conde de
Superunda Street, a block away from the Main Plaza.
However, the Dominican priests Juan de Olías, Alfonso de
Montenegro and Tomás de San Martín founded their Convent
on the lot owned by Diego de Agüero, located in the
corner of the Judíos and Bodegones Streets, and it was
not until 1541 that they moved to the lot they were
previously assigned.
The modifications suffered by this Dominican temple,
also shared by all of the churches of Lima, started
around the mid 16th Century. All the temples were
utterly refurbished, all primitive Gothic forms
abandoned, and replaced by the so called Lima Baroque
style.
During the Independence times, the Presbyter Matías
Maestro transformed the insides of this Dominican Temple
practically rebuilding all of its altars. He turned them
into a Neoclassical style which at that time was at its
peak. Master carpenter Jacinto Ortiz and the painter
José Sagastizabal lent him a hand with that task.
Nowadays, the Convent occupies a very large area, in
spite of having been forced to hand over a portion of
its former terrain to the School of Santo Tomás de
Aquino, which is also managed by the priests of the
Order.
There are long corridors, cloisters and portals
surrounding three patios filled with bushes, flowers and
bronze fountains, cast by the first priests that dwelt
within its walls. There is also a spacious Chapter Room
in the Renaissance style, an ancient Crypt where the
members of the order were buried, and a valuable
Library.
It has an imposing tower sixty metres high, one of the
tallest in the City. Its interior comprises three naves,
cedar wood carven stools in the choir, and the Chapels
of the Rosario and of Santa Rosa, which store the skulls
of the Saint of Lima and of San Martín de Porres.
Also notable are the imagery of Saint Ann, the Virgin
and the Child, of San Martín de Tours and Santiago
Matamoros. There is also a beautiful sculpture of a
prostrate Santa Rosa, donated by the Pope Clemente X
after the canonization of the Saint.
The Chapter house, in which beautiful Baroque carvings
are kept, is the place in which the Universidad Nacional
Mayor de San Marcos Major National University was
founded in 1551, the first University of the Americas.
Location:
Intersection of the Conde de Superunda
and Camana Streets.
Telephone:
(511) 427-6793.
Visits:
Church:
Monday - Saturday from 9:00 am to
1:00 pm and from 5:00 to 7:30 pm.
Convent:
Monday - Saturday from 9:00 am to
1:00 pm and from 3:00 to 6:00 pm.
