The Palacio de la Exposición features a wide facade of slender iron columns and tall glass windows, a building designed to disappear into the light of the Parque de la Exposición. It was built for the eighteen seventy-two International…
Lima's Belle Époque
A walk through the extravagant plazas and avenues of early 20th-century Lima, sharing the eccentric scandals, high-society dramas, and bizarre blunders of a golden era.
Listen to this tour in the Mira app →
1. Museo de Arte de Lima
2. Monumento a Cristóbal Colón
The bronze statue of Christopher Columbus stands atop a high pedestal in the center of the Paseo Colón, holding a map in his left hand while his right arm extends toward the horizon. It was a gift from the Italian immigrant Augusto Leguía…
3. Paseo de los Heroes Navales - Plaza Grau
The bronze statue of Admiral Miguel Grau stands atop a tall marble column in the center of the plaza, his arm outstretched as if still commanding the monitor Huascar during the War of the Pacific. Below him, the base holds his remains,…
4. Supreme Court of Perú
The Palacio de Justicia in Lima defines the block with its massive neoclassical facade and wide, sweeping stone steps. It holds the Supreme Court, serving as the highest legal authority in the country. In the nineteen thirties, architects…
5. San Martin Square
Plaza San Martin is defined by its sweeping semicircular buildings that curve toward the center of the space. It was built to commemorate the centennial of Peruvian independence, officially opening in nineteen twenty-one. The bronze statue…
6. Edificio Giacoletti
The Edificio Giacoletti displays a tall, narrow facade finished in a distinctive light blue, punctuated by ornate, rounded balconies that curve outward over the Plaza San Martin. Built in nineteen twelve, it served as one of the first…
7. Teatro Colón
The Teatro Colon in Lima occupies a narrow, salmon-colored building with a distinctive, curved facade that hugs the street corner. Opened in nineteen fourteen, it served as a premier venue for stage plays and zarzuelas, reflecting the…
8. Gran Hotel Bolivar Lima
The Gran Hotel Bolivar commands the corner of Plaza San Martin with its heavy stone facade and a grand, arched entrance. Built in nineteen twenty-four to celebrate the centennial of the Battle of Ayacucho, the hotel hosted diplomats, movie…
9. Palais Concert
The Palais Concert features a rounded corner facade topped by a distinct, ornate cupola that dominates the intersection of Jiron de la Union and Emancipacion. Inaugurated in nineteen thirteen, this building served as a fashionable cafe and…