Downtown Lima: day and night

The oracle´s and valley´s name was Rimaq which means “the one who speaks” in Quechua. The Spanish chose that valley to found the capital of Perú there and from then on it was known as Lima.

Soon the Spanish substituted churches, colonial houses, and palaces for farms and most of the wakas or sacred places. The downtown or Damero de Pizarro still boasts the architecture of the colonial period and the main square is the best point to start walking around. The best of all, you can do it not only by day but also by night.

…y otro valle llamado “Rimac, al cual los españoles corrompiendo el nombre, llaman Lima”.
Comentarios Reales de los Incas, Garcilaso de la Vega.

The Cathedral

The government palace

“El nombre Rimac quiere decir el que habla. Llamaron así al valle por un idolo que en él hubo con figura de hombre, que hablaba y respondía a lo que le preguntaban”.
Comentarios Reales de los Incas, Garcilaso de la Vega.

The City Hall from the fountain. Pic taken by Kristina Stalnionyte

The City Hall from the government palace

Fountain at Plaza Peru

Plaza San Martin

a fountain at Plaza San Martin

All pics taken by Sergio Reyna unless otherwise mentioned.

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