Designed by Francisco Pizarro, the Cathedral of Lima’s construction began in 1535, with the Spanish conquistador ceremonially placing the first stone. Architects have added substantive embellishments over the years, such as the twin neoclassical towers erected in the 1790s. Beyond a trio of grand doorways, the comparatively austere interior has remarkable wood-carved choir stalls, tile mosaics, and a gold-plated altar. Travelers may choose to visit the cathedral as part of a walking and sightseeing tour or as a stop along the way on a city bike tour. Excursions generally follow the popular pedestrian street that runs south of the cathedral to Plaza San Martin. Nighttime visits are also pleasant, when the church is bathed in romantic floodlights.
The Cathedral of Lima is in the heart of the city’s historic center at Plaza Mayor. Desamparados is the closest railway station.
Open year-round, the cathedral is one of the city’s most popular attractions. Hours are usually Monday through Friday, 9am–5pm, and Saturdays 10am–1pm. Masses are typically held Saturdays at 9am and Sundays at 11am.
One of the cathedral’s most popular attractions can be found inside the first chapel on the right as you enter: the extravagant marble tomb of Francisco Pizarro, the conquistador who claimed vast swaths of Latin America (including Peru) for the Spanish crown. In 1977, construction workers had found a casket marked with his name, though oddly enough, what had been thought to be the true mummified body of Pizarro had been in a glass casket, on display at the cathedral for over 100 years.
