Lima - Plaza Mayor

Incas, Machu Picchu, the Lake Titicaca are the best-known highlights of Peru.  Lima - the capital of the country remains somewhere aside.  It is usually a stopover on the route.
The city is located on the edge of the desert, on the Pacific coast, at the mouth of the river Rimac. I would imagine it as another sunny South American city. But due to the phenomenon of thermal inversion it is covered with fog most of the year.   Unpleasant fog disappears in the summer.  But still the blue sky is not very common.
No matter what is your next destination in Peru, it is worth staying to see the city.  Lima was the Viceroyalty.  It means it was political, commercial and ecclesiastical center of the Spanish South America for two centuries. The city was founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro.  His grave can be found in the chapel on the right side from the entrance to the Cathedral. It's hard to miss it because the chapel is decorated with frescoes and mosaics depicting Pizzaro as conqueror. It is interesting that the real remains of Pizzaro were moved to that chapel only in 1985.  It was a part of celebration of the city's 450 anniversary.

The Cathedral is one of the most important and interesting monuments to see. Temple, which we visit today is actually the third Cathedral built on the same spot. The first two churches were built in the 16th century. The first was a small chapel consecrated in 1540. The second much larger church was built by Bishop Geronimo de Loayza 1551. The third cathedral was consecrated in 1622. Interior decoration of the cathedral is rich in styles.  You will find good examples of decorative works in 14 chapels.  There is a museum of sacred art in the former treasury and private rooms. You can see some interesting examples of local Christmas cribs and even special beds for the Christ Child.

The Cathedral is located at the Plaza Mayor.  The square was formerly known as the Plaza de Armas (the name was changed in 1997). It is historic and administrative center of the city.  You can find here the Palace of the Archbishop (Palacio del Arzobispo) with a stunningly decorated façade, the City Hall (Municipalidad de Lima) with beautifully restored wooden balconies and the Palacio de Gobierno (Presidential Palace).  And there is a fountain with a statue of the Angel of Fame in the center of the square.

The Presidential Palace witnessed political struggles.  It was where the first coup d’état in Latin America took place.  Francisco Pizarro was murdered there in 1541. The present building comes from the 20th century, but the plan of the ground floor has been preserved from the original building. Every day, except Sundays, at noon there is a ceremony of the changing of the guard in the uniforms from the period of struggle for independence. 

The square is a good starting point for a walk through the narrow streets of the old town. Well, see you next time.

Metropolitan Cathedral - Mexico City

The most important monument of the historic center is the Metropolitan Cathedral - Catedral Metropolitana. It is the oldest cathedral in Latin America.  Its history goes back to Hermán Cortés who chose the place for the future cathedral in 1524. Today it is impossible to determine if it is true or he just built a regular church at that site. But it is fact that they used stones from demolished Aztec temples, including of the Templo Mayor. The remnants of the Templo Mayor can be seen next to the cathedral.
Construction of the church lasted almost three hundred years.  In the meantime plans, architects and styles kept changing. Actually, it is difficult to say when the construction of the present building started and when it was completed.   There are different sources providing various dates.  Generally speaking work lasted from 16th to 18th century. History lovers, who speak Spanish, can find some relevant texts at the cathedral’s website.

Metropolitan Cathedral is also the biggest cathedral in Latin America. It is 100 meters long, 46 meters wide with 5 naves impressive. While walking inside we realize and sense that the structure, like the entire city, is sinking.  It is incredible that the structure has not fallen apart. But actually we can visit the cathedral today due to the efforts of city authorities.  They have invested considerable amount of money to preserve the monument. In the year 2000 the cathedral was included in the UNESCO list of the most endangered monuments.
The interior decoration of the cathedral includes elements of various architectural styles, including typical for Mexico churriguera style. Two famous altars, Altar de los Reyes and the Altar del Perdón, are located in the central nave.  There are 14 more chapels with many works of art.
There is a chapel of the Blessed Sacrament next to the Cathedral. The chapel, built in the seventeenth century, is a regular place of worship. But it is worth paying attention to façade ornaments made of white and red stone.