Lima, Peru

Lima is the largest city in Peru and one of the largest cities in the continent of South America. Located near the Andes Mountains, Lima is nicknamed “El Pulpo” (Octopus) for its sprawling suburbs. The city was founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizzaro, who called it the City of Kings. It served as the capital of New Spain in the 17th and 18th centuries and was renowned for its great wealth and magnificence. It is one of the oldest capital cities in South America. In 1746, a major earthquake destroyed Lima.

Today, Lima accounts for over one third of the entire population of Peru . It serves as the economic and cultural hub of the nation. Lima has many popular tourist attractions. The entire historic centre of Lima was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 due to its large number of important buildings dating from the Spanish colonial era such as the Plaza Mayor, with its 16th century Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, and the connected catacombs of the Convento de San Francisco, a major monastery built in 1674 that features a world-renowned library.