Cathedral of Lima Church

Address: Plaza Mayor, Centro Histórico, Lima 15001, Peru

Website: https://arquidiocesisdelima.org/

Hours: Daily 7am-7pm (mass times vary)

Admission: Free entry (donations requested); guided tours may charge

The Cathedral of Lima is the Roman Catholic cathedral located on the Plaza Mayor in central Lima and serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Lima. The church has a layered colonial-era interior with notable altarpieces, chapels and a crypt of historical importance.

Inside the cathedral visitors see colonial-era altarpieces and silverwork, multiple side chapels, and a crypt that contains the tomb of Francisco Pizarro. The building also houses a small cathedral museum with liturgical objects and ecclesiastical artifacts.

The original church was established soon after the Spanish foundation of Lima in 1535; the present building reflects successive phases of construction and renovation carried out in the 16th through 18th centuries. Over time the cathedral’s fabric and decoration were adapted following earthquakes and changing tastes.

The cathedral occupies the central Plaza Mayor in Lima’s historic centre, directly opposite the Government Palace and within the dense grid of colonial-era streets that defines central Lima.

• Plaza location: Sits on the Plaza Mayor in Lima’s historic centre, adjacent to the Government Palace and other colonial-era buildings.
• Pizarro’s tomb: Contains the tomb of Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador who founded the city in 1535, located in the cathedral crypt.

What to See#

• Main altar and nave: The principal altar and nave are the focal point of the cathedral, featuring colonial-era altarpieces and decorative elements from the Spanish colonial period.
• Crypt and tomb: A crypt beneath the cathedral contains the tomb of the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, which is a principal object of historical interest inside the building.
• Cathedral museum: A small museum attached to the cathedral displays sacred art, colonial silver and archival items related to the cathedral’s history and the archdiocese.

The cathedral sits on Lima’s Plaza Mayor in the historic center. It’s reachable on foot from many central hotels; public buses and taxis serve the area (exercise usual caution in busy tourist districts). The nearest major transit hub is Estación Central / Plaza San Martín area.

• Arrive early to catch the morning mass and a quieter nave for photos.
• Look for the silver-plated choir stalls and the painted ceilings-many visitors pass them without comment.
• Combine a visit with adjacent colonial-era buildings on Plaza Mayor.