Plaza Mayor, Lima Plaza

Address: Plaza Mayor (Plaza de Armas), Lima, Cercado de Lima, Peru

Website: https://www.munlima.gob.pe

Hours: Plaza open 24 hours; nearby Cathedral: Mon-Sat 9:00am-5:30pm, Sun services interrupt visiting hours

Admission: Free (public square)

Plaza Mayor (Plaza de Armas) of Lima is the principal public square in Lima’s historic centre, established at the city’s founding in 1535 and framed by major colonial government and religious buildings.

The square is bordered by the Government Palace, the Cathedral of Lima and municipal buildings, forming a compact ensemble of colonial architecture and public space used for ceremonies and civic events. The open paved plaza functions as Lima’s main ceremonial and tourist focus within the historic centre.

Founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro as the administrative and ceremonial centre of the new city, the plaza has hosted successive government institutions and cathedral construction through the colonial and republican eras.

The plaza sits in the historic centre of Lima, within the Lima District, and serves as the focal point of the city’s colonial urban grid.

• Founding: Founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535 as the central plaza of the newly established city of Lima; it remains the city’s ceremonial and administrative heart.
• Architectural ensemble: Surrounded by major colonial-era government and ecclesiastical buildings, which define the square’s perimeter and function.

What to See#

• Government Palace: Faces the square’s north side and serves as the seat of the Peruvian head of state in Lima; the facade directly addresses the plaza.
• Lima Cathedral: The city’s main cathedral occupies the north side of the square, with construction spanning the colonial period and subsequent restorations.

The Plaza Mayor is in Lima’s historic centre (Cercado de Lima). From the main Cercado areas, it’s a short walk-one block from Jirón de la Unión. Closest public transit: multiple Metropolitano and bus lines along Avenida Abancay and Jirón de la Unión; the closest Metropolitano stations are Estación Central and Estación Matellini with short transfers by bus or a 10-20 minute walk depending on route.

• Visit around noon to see the presidential guard ceremony at the Government Palace façade.
• Enter the Cathedral of Lima (plaza side) separately if wanting to see the colonial crypts-there is a small admission fee.
• Look up at the balconies: many have carved wooden latticework and names of colonial-era owners etched into lintels.