The City of Kings, the noble title it holds to this day, Lima is growing as a metropolis in a fast and modern way. As the only capital city in the Americas located on the seashore, Lima is populous (more than 8 million inhabitants) and is full of places of interest and restaurants of international fame.
It is the gastronomic capital of America and for this reason alone, one of many, it is a pleasant tourist attraction. Its beaches, likewise, offer us the beauty of its women and its waves. Its neighborhoods, on the other hand, will show us the deep heart of a city that demonstrates the thriving destiny of Peru.
While traveling and discovering historical background to make your visit rich in global and cultural knowledge , you may need to use one of our mobile phone plans for tourists to have a tourist SIM card. In order to understand and find new adventures, here in PeruSIM.
Now let’s take a brief look on how Lima city was founded and more historical curious information :
The foundation of Lima

Lima was founded on January 18, 1535 by order of the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, who chose the place because of its proximity to the sea, the large amount of good land for farming and the existence of abundant firewood.
In the months of September and October 1534, Francisco Pizarro was looking for a place on the Peruvian coast to found the city that would eventually become the City of Kings.
The resolution to found the city on the plains was adopted at the Jauja Town Council on December 4 of that year, and it was decided that all the residents would move to the new city.
After the affidavit of the commissioners, the governor with the royal officials and other people went to the district of Lima to certify the goodness of the place and proceeded to found the city.
Thus, on January 18, 1535, Francisco Pizarro founded the new city in the name of their majesties, Emperor Charles V and his mother Queen Juana.
Francisco Pizarro named it “City of the Kings”, out of devotion and memory of the Three Kings and because of the proximity of their feast day, the Epiphany. However, others say that the name was in honor of the kings of Spain at that time, in spite of this, one of its nicknames is the “thrice crowned town”.
With the passing of time, the name Ciudad de los Reyes was used less and less; adopting the designation of Lima, the name used by the natives to designate the place where the Spaniards had settled. Although this occurred in daily or family communication, in public instruments of contracts, in public deeds, etc., the name Ciudad de los Reyes continued to be used.
The Expansion of Lima

Lima grew from the Plaza Mayor and, in the first census taken in 1599 by order of Viceroy Don Luis de Velasco, a population of 14,262 inhabitants was recorded. In 1614, during the government of Viceroy Marqués de Montesclaros, the population increased to 26,441 inhabitants; of which 40% were Spaniards, 39% blacks, 10% clergy, 8% Indians and 3% mulattos or mestizos.
Between 1868 and 1870, Lima’s urban expansion was better planned and wider streets and avenues were built. Many of its arteries are called “Jirones” and are baptized with picturesque names.
For example, the urban voices of historic Lima tell of the “Calle Mata Siete”, in the neighborhood of Malambo in the Rímac, which is said to have taken its name after a stout brunette slit the throats of seven thugs who wanted to take advantage of her.
Likewise, Rosa Flores de Oliva, our Santa Rosa and San Martin de Porres used to walk a lot on San Andres Street, today the 8th block of Jiron Huallaga. The first Hospital for the indigent used to be located there, where these saints used to go to help the needy spiritually.
Today Lima is a Latin American mega-city, with many pending issues regarding its restoration as a tourist and historical city.

Gastronomy in Ancient Lima

Limeños were fond of stews, fried foods and spicy food in the 19th century. Normally this type of food was accompanied by coffee or tea. Stews and stews simmered with plenty of pepper and fat were also part of the eating habits of the time. Likewise, a middle-class family in Lima was more inclined to serve hearty and hearty dishes.
By the 1950s (when it began to grow as we have been saying), thousands of migrants from the provinces began to arrive in the capital for the opportunities of a better future.
Thanks to this fact and the quick adaptation, it did not take long to begin to see more gastronomic diversity coming from Puno, Arequipa, Trujillo, Ancash, Ancash, Cuzco and other provinces.
Likewise, with the culinary contribution plus the inclusion of new dishes thanks to the different cultures that arrived in the country, such as the Italians and the Chinese, today we have a gastronomic treasure that recognizes us worldwide.
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