Plazas de Armas of Peru: the 5 most beautiful squares of the country

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To talk about the Plazas de Armas of Peru, is to talk about history, tourism, art, culture and recreation of each locality where they are located. They were born as a result of the idea of the Spanish colonizers to found new cities with large spaces and received the name of Plazas Mayores. Currently, they are spaces that attract tourists from all over the world.

Many of these squares are considered must-see places to visit in Peru. The vegetable lungs in the middle of the cities become the nerve center of the main cities of Peru where you can stroll or rest.

Plaza de Armas of Lima

Around it are important buildings such as: the Government Palace of Peru, the Cathedral of Lima with its Renaissance facade, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Municipal Palace whose colorful wooden balconies of colonial and republican times open onto the square.

The Plaza de Armas of Lima has beautiful gardens, sculptures, a fountain or central fountain of the colonial era and palm trees. It has electric lanterns that, together with the lights of the buildings that surround the place, generate a luminosity that you will not be able to forget. Another of the great attractions that attracts most tourists is the changing of the guard at 12 noon.

The central font is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in the square. The last remodeling was in 1651 and is the version that remains to this day, even though it has suffered the deterioration of the passage of time and natural disasters occurred over more than 300 years. What resistance!

Plaza de Armas of Cusco

The place where the Plaza de Armas of Cusco is located was in ancient times a marshland and is the perfect place to start the Cusco City Tour. At the time of the Incas it was dried and transformed into a religious, cultural and administrative center of the Tahuantinsuyo empire, the one of all life. With the Spanish occupation, temples and residences were built around it on the bases of ancient Inca palaces and buildings.

Today this square is known by the name of Huacaypata. It is located in the central area of Cusco, surrounded by jewelry stores, tourist restaurants and temples from the time of the conquest. It is one of the most expensive areas of the city, could you imagine it?

Interesting attractions of the Plaza de Armas of Cusco:

• The colonial temples around it, some of which now are museums.
• In its center there is a sculpture of the Inca Pachacutec, which attracts the curiosity of its visitors.
• Important local folkloric festivities are held there, such as the Holy Week. Other national holidays are also celebrated.

It also hosts free concerts, institutional parades, political rallies and is the starting point for many of the tours in Cusco.

Plaza de Armas of Arequipa

The city was founded in 1540 in the same place where the square is located today. In the center it has one of the most beautiful fountains in Peru and a statue with the figure of an imaginary soldier of the sixteenth century who was responsible for giving notice of any new event. Are you enjoying the Plazas de Armas of Peru?

The most important attractions of the Plaza de Armas de Arequipa are:

• Its cathedral of neoclassical style.
• Its three impressive galleries of white ashlar stone where you can enjoy its excellent gastronomy and handicrafts.
• The Portal of the Flowers.

Plaza de Armas of Ayacucho

This square is the center of the city and the largest in Peru. It is surrounded by impactful architecture from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Its historical and cultural legacy is enriched by the Renaissance, Baroque and eclectic styles with excellent works of art all around it.

Plaza de Armas of Ayacucho is characterized by stone arches and red clay roofs. It can be said that it is the only square in the country with portals formed by columns and stone arcades on its four sides.

Plaza de Armas of Cajamarca

The Plaza de Armas of Cajamarca has a square shape and is located north of the Santa Polonia hill. It has a total area of 21,373 square meters and is located at 2,750 meters above sea level.

In 1699 it was used for parades and military parades. It also hosted bullfighting evenings, cockfights and until the end of the last century served as a market. In 1932 lampposts and benches were installed, giving it a much friendlier appearance.

The main attractions of the Plaza de Armas of Cajamarca are: the cathedral, the building of the municipality and beautiful colonial-style mansions. In its center is a Eighteenth-century washed stone fountain.

There is no doubt that the Plazas de Armas of Peru are beautiful tourist destinations within the cities. They are pleasant spaces where you can enjoy the fresh air and the charm of cheerful cities full of life. Have you chosen your favorite?