Cathedral of Lima

리마 대성당

The cathedral on the east side of Lima's Plaza Mayor, begun in 1535 and rebuilt after several earthquakes. Two 45 m neoclassical bell towers with slate-grey cupolas frame the Renaissance stone Puerta del Perdón.

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At a glance

Country: Peru
Location: Lima, Peru
Built: 1535–1797
Height: 45 m
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Cathedral of Lima?

Cathedral of Lima is in Lima, Peru.

How tall is Cathedral of Lima?

Cathedral of Lima is about 45 m tall.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Lima stands on the east side of the Plaza Mayor, the main square of Lima, Peru. It is the oldest and largest church in the country and part of the Historic Centre of Lima. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, and it is the seat of the Archdiocese of Lima.

Its first stone was laid in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conqueror who founded the city. The cathedral you see today was built in its present form between 1602 and 1797, and it was rebuilt more than once after earthquakes. Beside it stand the Archbishop's Palace and the Church of the Sagrario, so the three buildings make one handsome block on the square.

From a small church to a cathedral

A small church was finished in 1538 and opened in 1540. In 1541 the pope made Lima a diocese, and work on a bigger cathedral began in 1542. The site had earlier held an Inca shrine and the palace of an Inca prince named Sinchi Puma, and Pizarro had a notary record that the prince gave up the land.

In 1564 the archbishop wanted a cathedral to rival the great ones of Spain, but the first grand plan proved too costly. The architect Francisco Becerra drew the plan that the building follows today, inspired by the cathedrals of Jaén and Seville.

Earthquakes and rebuilding

Lima sits in a region of strong earthquakes, and the cathedral has suffered from them. Quakes in 1606 and 1609 damaged the unfinished building, and builders argued whether brick or wood would hold up better. The big quake of 1746 almost left the cathedral in ruins.

The Viceroy ordered a rebuilding in 1758, using the old plans. The Jesuit Juan Rher used wood and quincha (cane and mud) for the ribbed vaults, a lighter choice than heavy stone. The present bell towers were rebuilt between 1794 and 1797.

What to see

Two bell towers about 45 metres tall frame the front, and the stone Puerta del Perdón, or Door of Forgiveness, is in Renaissance style. A bell named La Cantabria hangs in the left tower.

Inside is the tomb of Francisco Pizarro. The cathedral has three naves, the long central halls of a church, all of the same height. Its patron saint is Saint John, and the Archbishop's Palace and the Church of the Sagrario share the same side of the square.

Fun facts

Francisco Pizarro, who founded Lima, is buried inside.
Pizarro himself carried the first wood for the first church, as a public show of humility.
The site once held an Inca shrine and an Inca prince's palace.
The cathedral was damaged by earthquakes in 1606, 1609, 1687 and 1746.
In 1549 the city council decided the cathedral needed a clock, and one brought from Spain was bought.