As might be expected from a city that was founded by the Spanish on the precepts of the Catholic religion, Lima has an abundance of churches, cathedrals and monasteries that date back as far as the early 16th century.

For people interested in the architecture and styles of early South America, Lima's churches and temples are a must see. Here's a look at just a few of the most popular sites.

Duration:                                3 ½ hours
Departures:                            Daily Departures from Lima Peru at 9.00am or 2.00pm
Activities:                               You will be delighted with the antique architecture
Hotel:                                      Not included, available upon request
Meals:                                    Not included, available upon request
Customizable:                         YES, feel free to ask for extra services

Note: If your hotel is located in another area than Miraflores or San Isidro, it will have an additional cost.

PROGRAM:

Nonetheless, out of all the churches and convents in the Historical Center, three stand out from the rest respect to their history and significance. The Cathedral, the Convent of Santo Domingo and the Convent of San Francisco merge the main features of Lima's religious buildings.

THE CATHEDRAL - Open daily from 10am-1pm and 2-5pm
Located in the Plaza Mayor in the historical downtown city center. The Cathedral was completed in 1622 after over 40 years of construction. In 1746, it was severely damaged by an earthquake, and was rebuilt by Jesuit Juan Rehr. The building itself is a mix of Baroque, Renaissance, Gothic and Neoclassic styles. The remains of Lima founder Francisco Pizarro are found inside the Cathedral, as well as a museum of religious art.

Cathedral with a History. That prevailing atmosphere of immense faith found mainly in the Historical Center made its appearance on January 18, 1535, when conquistador Francisco Pizarro, himself, laid the founding stone and carried on his shoulders the first log of timber to be used in the construction of what today is the Cathedral of Lima.

Facing the Main Square (Plaza Mayor), the Cathedral has undergone countless modifications throughout its 463 years of history yet still maintains, unlike the buildings which surround it, its colonial structure and facade.

Today, the Cathedral rises majestically in the heart of Lima. It is a symbol of the city; maybe because it was born with the city or perhaps because in its first lateral chapel there is an urn with the ashes of Francisco Pizarro, the 'conquistador' and founder of this thrice-crowned town.

THE SANTO DOMINGO CONVENT - Visiting hours are daily from 7am-1pm and 3:30-8:30pm
The oldest convent: Santo Domingo was conceived with the city but its founder was not Pizarro; it was a friar named Tomas de San Martin, later to become Preceptor Prior of the Dominican Order.
As in all convents, Santo Domingo - located between 'jirones' Lima and Camana - is a sort of city inside the city; and it comprises a succession of cloisters and yards which are surrounded by service areas and communal rooms.
The first university in the Americas, the San Marcos University, was first opened here in 1551. The ashes of Santa Rosa de Lima, the patron saint of the city of Lima, are interred here. San Martin de Porras, the patron saint of race relations and social justice, also calls the church his final resting place. The church features some really magnificent artwork, including a 16 century statue of the crucifixion of Christ and a marble statue of Santa Rosa. The convent features a ceiling done in the Moorish style, also from the 16th century, an impressive library and a Baroque salon.

LAS NAZARENAS CHURCH - Opening time: Daily 8am- noon & 6-8.30pm
The limean architecture undergoes a change during the Illustration. Italian, French and Center-European contributions give greater distinctness to the structural and ornamental assortment, leading to a rational study which contrasts with the traditions of the Spanish baroque. This new tendency is evident in the temple of Las Nazarenas which is the finest and more harmonious example of 18th Century religious architecture. The facade has a delicate elliptic arch, elongated by its curves culminating in niches and small windows.

The church of Las Nazarenas is small and outwardly undistinguished but it has an unusual history. After the severe 1655 earthquake, a mural of the crucifixion, painted by an Angolan slave on the wall of his hut and originally titled Cristo de Pachacamilla, was the only object left standing in the district. Its survival was deemed a miracle - the cause and focus of popular processions ever since - and it was on this site that the church was founded in the eighteenth century. The widespread and popular processions for the Lord of Miracles, to save Lima from another earthquake, take place every spring (Oct 18, 19, 28 & Nov 1), based around a silver litter, which carries the original mural. Purple is the colour of the procession and many women in Lima wear it for the entire month.

END OF OUR SERVICES

INCLUDES:
All scheduled transportation. All transfers. All scheduled excursions with English-speaking guide services. All entrance fees. Meals
as specified in the itinerary. CB= Continental Breakfast; B=Breakfast; L=Lunch, D=Dinner.

NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE
International and domestic airfares, accommodations, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, phone calls, radio calls or messages, reconfirmation of flights and items of personal nature.