Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Colonial Mansions
PALACIO TORRE TAGLE
( Ucayali 363)
There are few remaining colonial mansions in Lima since many of them have
been lost to expansion and earthquakes. Many now operate as private offices, which can
make seeing interiors difficult. The most immaculate of these
casonas
(mansions) is this
famous structure, completed in 1735, with its ornate baroque portico (the best in Lima)
and striking Moorish balconies. It is home to Peru's Foreign Ministry, so visitors are only
allowed a gander at the exterior. Even so, it's worth it.
| Historic Building
CASA ALIAGA
( 427-7736;
www.casadealiaga.com
; Jirón de la Unión 224)
Innocuously tucked on a side street
by the post office stands this mansion, on land given to Jerónimo de Aliaga, one of
Pizarro's followers, in 1535. Since then, it has been occupied by 16 generations of his des-
cendants. Its interiors are lovely, with vintage furnishings and tile-work. It can be visited
via organized excursions with Lima Tours (
Click here
)
.
| Historic Building
Other Sights
MUSEO DE ARTE DE LIMA
( 423-6332;
www.mali.pe
; Paseo Colón 125; suggested donation S6-12; 10am-7pm Tue-Sun)
Known locally as MALI, Lima's principal fine-arts museum is housed in a striking beaux-
arts building with an excellent permanent collection. This includes pre-Columbian arti-
facts, colonial furniture and cutting-edge pieces by contemporary artists. Of particular in-
terest is a strong collection of early-20th-century
indigenista
painting, which celebrated
indigenous aspects of Peruvian society. A recent remodel has left the galleries wonder-
fully refreshed.
| Museum
PLAZA SAN MARTÍN
This attractive plaza is named for the liberator of Peru, José de San Martín, who sits
astride a horse at its center. At the base, don't miss the bronze rendering of Madre Patria,
the symbolic mother of Peru. Commissioned in Spain under instruction to give the good
lady a crown of flames, nobody thought to iron out the double meaning of the word flame
| Historic Plaza
