THE CITY OF THE KINGS AND ITS BEAUTIFUL SUBURBS
[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO MUNICIPAL PARK.]
With an inheritance of legend, romance, and wealth that gives its
history extraordinary charm, Lima, “The Thrice-crowned City,” enjoys the
distinction of being the most renowned capital of Spanish America. For
nearly three hundred years it was the “second metropolis” of the vast
Spanish empire on two continents, and the centre of a viceregal court
whose splendor and gayety vied with that of royalty itself. The legend
of Rimac makes the site of this beautiful city the ancient abode of a
revered pre-Incaic oracle; and the imagination can easily picture scenes
of antiquity in the valley “that speaks,” when from all parts of the
kingdom the faithful came to make their vows and to receive the word of
the American Delphi, ages before Pizarro laid the foundations for the
City of the Kings. As frequently occurred in Peru, the native title
superseded the Spanish one, and “Lima,” which is a corruption of
“Rimac,” is now the name universally given to the capital that was more
pompously christened “La Ciudad de los Reyes,” the arms being three gold
crowns on an azure field with the Star of the East above.
Lima stands on the left bank of the Rimac River in a broad and fertile
plain, which slopes gently to the Pacific Ocean, a few miles away. The
great chain of the Andes passes within fifty miles of the city; and
spurs from this majestic range approach close to its gates, forming an
amphitheatre within which the capital lies, wearing a purple crown at
dawn when the sun is hidden behind its hills, and a golden aureole at
eventide when the light fades into the sea. The city forms a triangle,
of which the longest side rests on the River Rimac; the streets are
marked out in a straight line and run parallel from northeast and
northwest, crossing at right angles, with open squares, or _plazas_, at
intervals, beautified with monuments, fountains, and shrubbery. The
Plaza Mayor, or principal square of Lima, is about five hundred feet
above sea level, the mountains behind the city reaching an altitude of
from one thousand to three thousand feet; the climate is mild, rain
seldom falls, and the surrounding hills keep off northerly and easterly
winds, while cool breezes from the Pacific temper the heat of the
tropics.
In appearance and style, the Lima of the viceroyalty has been compared
with Seville, except that its streets were broader and straighter than
those of the Andalusian metropolis, and showed signs of greater
activity. As the capital of the republic, the city has grown larger,
more modern in appearance, and more western in atmosphere; yet there is
still much of the charm of the past in the massive street doors, barred
windows and Moorish balconies, or _miradores_, some of them built of
mahogany and carved in handsome designs. The _portales_, arcades that
extend along the sides of the plazas, forming a sheltered walk in front
of the shops, and usually thronged with people, are a survival of
colonial architecture. The old churches and convents retain the
attractiveness of venerable edifices which have served as places of
devotion for many generations. All these features are too charming to be
dispensed with, and it is to be hoped that the necessities of modern
improvement will not soon demand their destruction.
What scenes are suggested by the beautiful Plaza Mayor! On the north
side stands the government palace, once the palace of the viceroys,
whose court was the talk of two continents during the rule of the
Marquis de Cañete, the Duke de Palata, and the dilettante Prince de
Esquilache; in its spacious salons gay festivals were celebrated by the
Viceroy Amat and his courtiers. A short distance away is the site of the
assassination of Pizarro; and, overlooking the plaza, from the eastern
side, the great cathedral turns one’s thoughts back to those early days
when its first foundations were laid by the Conqueror, whose remains it
shelters. The archbishop’s palace adjoins the cathedral. On the western
side of the plaza stands the city hall, both the western and southern
sides being faced by handsome _portales_, above which are the balconies
of the principal social clubs.
The brilliant functions of the viceroy’s court, that illuminated the
palace on the north side of the plaza a century ago, could hardly have
been more elaborate or more elegant than the entertainments which are
given to-day in the handsome quarters of the Union Club, overlooking the
plaza from the opposite side, or in the Nacional Club, a few blocks
away. The balls and banquets held by these societies in honor of
distinguished visitors are memorable affairs: as when Mr. Root was
entertained with true Peruvian hospitality in a series of brilliant
social events under their auspices. The beautiful bronze fountain, more
than two hundred and fifty years old, which forms the centre-piece of
the great plaza, is an ornament of rare value. A short distance from the
square is located the Plaza de la Inquisicion, where, during the
viceroyalty, the tribunals of the Inquisition were held. The building in
which the Holy Office had its court is now the Senate Chamber of the
republic. The interior of this edifice possesses peculiar interest. The
ceiling is of carved mahogany, a magnificent example of workmanship; the
mahogany table used to-day by the honorable Senate when writing the laws
that govern a free people is the same on which the death warrant was
signed in the tyrannous period of the _auto de fé_. In the centre of
this plaza stands an equestrian statue erected to immortalize the hero
of the Independence, Simon Bolivar. The statue, superbly sculptured, is
of bronze, and rests on a pedestal of white marble, with _bas-reliefs_
on the sides, representing the battles of Junin and Ayacucho.
[Illustration: THE NATIONAL MUSEUM, LIMA.]
Lima has not been forgetful of the heroes of her liberty. In the
beautiful Plaza de la Exposicion, at the entrance to the Paseo Colón, a
handsome marble column stands to honor the memory of the other
Liberator, General San Martin. It was presented to the city of Lima by a
patriotic Peruvian, Colonel Lorenzo Pérez Roca. The lower terminus of
the Paseo Colón, where Lima’s fashionable driveway widens at the
converging of six beautiful avenues, is marked by a spacious circle,
that provides an imposing site for one of the most notable monuments in
South America, erected recently to commemorate the sacrifice of the
glorious hero, Colonel Bolognesi, on the heights of Arica, where, having
given his answer when asked to surrender—“Not till I have burned my last
cartridge!”—he fell under the enemy’s fire. The monument is the work of
the Spanish sculptor, Querol. It rests on steps of granite, the base
being a granite block, supporting a column of white marble. Around the
base are allegorical scenes, and the capital is also artistically
finished in allegorical design. The statue which surmounts the column
represents the hero in the act of falling, mortally wounded, with his
country’s flag held close to his heart. Another handsome monument in the
Paseo Colón is dedicated to Christopher Columbus, for whom the driveway
is named. It is of white marble, and was designed by the Italian
sculptor, Salvatore Revelli, the same model having been used for the
monument in the port of Colón, Panamá. On the road to Callao, a
magnificent column of Carrara marble, seventy-five feet high, and
crowned by a statue of Victory, commemorates the successful defence of
the port of Callao against the Spaniards on the 2d of May, 1866.
[Illustration: THE MUNICIPAL INSTITUTE OF HYGIENE.]
[Illustration: PLAZUELA DE LA RECOLETA.]
The dividing line between the Lima of the viceroyalty and the Lima of
the republic is nowhere more evident than in the appearance of the
city’s popular driveways and promenades. The Paseo Colón is the modern
fashionable residence quarter, and the favorite resort for the best
society of Lima on the afternoons of the _Corso_. It is about half a
mile long and one hundred and fifty feet wide, extending from the Plaza
de la Exposicion to the Plaza Bolognesi. Along the middle of the
driveway, from one end to the other, runs a garden bordered with trees,
flowers, and shrubs, divided at intervals by monuments, pillars, and
fountains, and overarched throughout by artistically arranged wires for
electric lights; at night when these successive arches are illuminated,
the Paseo is a brilliant scene, presenting an extraordinary effect.
Stone pavements extend along each side of the central garden, for the
use of foot passengers; and the broad avenue, with its pleasant driveway
thus divided, is adorned by a double line of handsome residences that
overlook it from both sides. Adjoining the Plaza de la Exposicion, at
the head of the Paseo, is the large and beautiful Exposition Park, named
in commemoration of the General Exposition of 1870, which took place in
these grounds. The park covers thirty acres, and is laid out in shaded
walks, artificial lakes, grottoes, gardens, and conservatories, in which
all kinds of tropical and sub-tropical plants and flowers are to be
seen, including choice Peruvian orchids. A circle of palm trees encloses
a pretty kiosk, always a favorite retreat, and several edifices in
various styles of architecture ornament the grounds. The Exposition
Palace stands at the entrance to the park, and is one of the handsomest
buildings in Lima. Its lower floor is used for balls, concerts, and
lectures, the floor above being occupied by the National Museum, the
Historical Institute, and the Athenæum of Lima. It faces the Paseo
Colón, directly opposite to another handsome edifice, the Municipal
Institute of Hygiene.
[Illustration: STATUE OF COLUMBUS IN THE PASEO COLÓN.]
The Historical Institute is one of the most important scientific
institutions of Peru, and one destined to occupy a high place among the
societies of America. Its purpose is to cultivate and advance the study
of national history, including all that pertains to the ethnology and
archæology of the country. This embraces a wide field and opens up
illimitable prospects of investigation. The institute has charge of the
National Museum, which is the repository for collections of objects of
historical value and interest. The work of collecting, deciphering,
arranging, annotating, and publishing documents relating to the national
history, as well as the responsibility of guarding and preserving the
national monuments of archæological and artistic value, is under the
direction of the institute, which was created by decree of the
government of Peru on the 18th of February, 1905. Dr. Max Uhle has
charge of the prehistoric department of the museum, a section full of
interest for those who have a curiosity to see the wonderful potteries,
textiles, and mummies that have been taken from Peruvian burial mounds.
Although the work of classifying and arranging these relics of antiquity
was begun only a little more than a year ago, the exhibit is already
assuming great importance, and it will undoubtedly be among the famous
world collections one of these days. The collection of objects of the
colonial and the republican periods is of important historical interest.
Here may be seen curious relics of the time of the conquest, even the
first baptismal font used in Lima, which was presented to the museum by
the church of Santo Domingo. Many and varied articles belonging to the
period of the viceroyalty have been collected, among others, the wooden
cross that was carried at the head of the procession in the _auto de fé_
as early as the sixteenth century; and the splendid coach, red and gold,
with the Torre-Tagle arms emblazoned on its panels, in which the great
marquis made his magnificent progresses across the country, in royal
style, with outriders and lackeys in attendance. There are trophies of
the war of independence, among them Bolivar’s spurs and the bed on which
General Sucre is said to have slept the night before Ayacucho; and among
the precious treasures of more recent days are preserved the swords of
Colonel Bolognesi, the cap and epaulettes of Admiral Grau, a Chilean
flag and other souvenirs of the war of the Pacific. Paintings of
historical scenes and portraits of great men adorn the walls.
Leaving the modern Paseo Colón and Exposition Park, and crossing the
Rimac, one is again in the old city of the viceroys, the famous Avenida
de Acho extending along the river bank from the ancient stone bridge,
built in colonial days, to the modern structure called the Balta Bridge,
in honor of a former president of the republic. This avenue, the
fashionable promenade of the capital up to half a century ago, is
divided into three roadways, the central one, bordered with tall
poplars, being used for riding and driving, while those on each side are
reserved as walks. It is popular on holidays and is thronged on the days
of the bull fights. Of equal interest, historically, is the _Jardin de
los Descalzos_ (“Garden of the Barefooted Friars”), which is situated a
short distance beyond the Avenida de Acho, and just at the foot of the
Cerro de San Cristobal, a mountain that rises close behind the city. The
garden of the Descalzos extends along an avenue more than half a mile in
length, ornamented by twelve statues that represent the signs of the
zodiac, and it is beautified throughout its length by tropical trees and
plants, while at intervals are placed handsome urns and marble benches.
An iron railing, six feet high, surrounds the garden, and a beautiful
fountain at its terminus completes the harmony of the picture, which is
enhanced by the overshadowing Cerro, and the ancient church and convent
of Barefooted Friars, just below.
[Illustration: KIOSK OF PALMS, EXPOSITION PARK.]
With the destruction, a few years ago, of the walls that formerly
surrounded the city, plans for its beautification were initiated on an
extensive scale; the Boulevard Bolognesi, the Boulevard Grau and other
broad _paseos_ were laid out, forming an almost uninterrupted driveway
from the river around the city’s southern limits to the river again. The
Boulevard Grau passes the Botanical Garden, in which are collected
specimens of tropical and semi-tropical flora of every variety. Stately
palms guard the entrance to the garden, and bordering its shady walks
are beautiful plants and flowers in gorgeous colors and of wonderful
growth. The _Chusia_, a remarkable tree of which the fruit bursts open
when ripe, showing a pretty flower with scarlet seeds, is among the
interesting arboreal specimens seen here.
[Illustration: PAVILION IN EXPOSITION PARK.]
Beautiful _paseos_ also lead from Lima to its suburban watering places,
the Avenida de Magdalena being one of the most picturesque of these
shady drives. Another popular highway is the road from Lima to Callao,
along which the viceroys used to make their splendid processions in
former days. It is lined part of the way with shade trees and presents
an animated spectacle on feast days and holidays, though it is not so
generally used since the advent of the railway, as that service has
converted into a twenty minutes’ trip what was formerly a journey of
hours. It is the chosen route for farmers and fruitsellers on their way
to market, and is thronged in the early morning hours by these
picturesque venders, usually on donkeys, which bear the products in huge
panniers slung at each side. Lima has four market places, the Mercado
Concepcion being the largest and most important; it occupies an entire
block and has a spacious interior, two stories in height, admitting of
the best ventilation. It is considered one of the largest in South
America, both as regards the edifice and the abundance of the market
supply.
The scene at the market is bright and entertaining, as it is the
favorite meeting place for gossip among the market women, and one may
hear many a clever bit of repartee between the bargaining purchaser and
the nonchalant vender. Local color is vivid in the Mercado Concepcion,
as it is wherever there are popular gatherings of the mestizo and the
Indian, who give the dominant note; the customs of the Spanish-American
of to-day differ little from those of North America, whatever
differences exist being due to climate and temperament rather than to
traditions. The climate of Lima is very equable, the thermometer seldom
rising above seventy degrees or going below sixty degrees Fahrenheit, in
the shade. In winter, from May to November, the _garúa_, a damp fog,
prevails, arriving with the morning breeze, which blows from the
westward, but passing away when the sun is high, except on cloudy days.
[Illustration: CHURCH OF SANTO DOMINGO.]
As the capital of the republic, Lima is the chief centre of political as
well as social progress. The president of the republic, his ministers,
and the high officials of the various administrative offices reside in
Lima, in which are located the national treasury, the mint, and the post
office. The mint is an interesting institution, and visitors find its
archives both instructive and entertaining. The first money coined in
Lima consisted of silver disks, marked on both sides with a cross made
by means of a hammer; later, it was stamped with the royal arms on one
side and the bust of the reigning monarch on the other. Since the
inauguration of the republic, the mint has been entirely reorganized,
and provided with modern machinery, constructed in England. It occupies
the same site as the original building, erected in 1565. The records of
the establishment show that four hundred million silver coins have been
turned out in that time, besides gold pieces. At present both gold and
silver money is coined, the gold pieces being the _libra_ and the _media
libra_ (pound and half pound), equivalent to the English sovereign and
the half sovereign; the silver coins are the _sol_, equivalent to half a
dollar gold, and the smaller pieces, the one-half _sol_, the one-fifth
_sol_, the _real_ (worth five cents, gold), and the one-half _real_.
Copper coins are used, equivalent in value to the English half-penny and
farthing. The Lima Mint is to-day one of the best establishments of its
kind in South America.
[Illustration: SAN PEDRO, THE FASHIONABLE CHURCH OF LIMA.]
Lima is the seat of Congress, of the Supreme Court, and of the general
staff of the army, the buildings in which these branches of the
government are conducted belonging, not to the municipality, but to the
nation. The construction of a new house of Congress is now occupying the
attention of the administration. The metropolitan dignitaries of the
Church also reside in Lima, His Grace Archbishop Garcia Naranjo, having
his palace next to the Cathedral. As Lima is not only the national
capital but also the capital of a department and of a judicial district,
it is the residence of the prefect and the seat of the superior courts.
It is, furthermore, the chief city of the province of Lima and the
headquarters of the sub-prefect, as well as of the staff of the six
police districts into which that service is divided. The provincial
council, or municipality, with all its dependencies, constitutes the
local government.
During the administration of the present mayor of Lima, Dr. Federico
Elguera, who was recently reëlected for the sixth time, in token of the
appreciation of the citizens for his good government, the municipal
improvements have been greater and more generally satisfactory than ever
before; and each year finds the city more modern in appearance, with
better sanitary conditions, and added conveniences of transportation.
The electric street car routes now cover the city very thoroughly and
connect it with the suburbs by means of a rapid and commodious service.
Electricity is also used for lighting, the system being modern and
convenient. As a metropolis, Lima provides the usual comforts of city
life, in good clubs and hotels; the cab service is excellent, the
telephone is found in all public buildings and residences; theatres are
open all the year, and a handsome new national theatre is now under
construction.
Lima has a population of one hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants. The
general character of the masses is peaceable and the percentage of crime
is not large. The police service has been greatly improved during the
present administration, the mounted police being recruited and organized
by the army authorities, though serving under the orders of the chief of
police, who has charge of the entire force. The penitentiary of Lima,
the first of its class to be built in America, is a spacious edifice,
equipped with modern conveniences, including a complete system of
electric lighting; a good library was recently installed for the use and
education of the inmates. For protection against fires, Lima has a
volunteer brigade, the companies of which are maintained by personal
subscription. There are about five hundred volunteer firemen in the
capital, divided into companies, which, by their names, reveal the
cosmopolitan character of this service. In addition to the “Lima,”
“Salvadora,” and “Cosmopolita” companies, the brigade includes also the
“Roma,” “Francia,” “Victoria,” and others.
[Illustration: THE BALTA BRIDGE OVER THE RIMAC RIVER.]
[Illustration: PASEO COLÓN—THE FAVORITE DRIVEWAY OF LIMA.]
Few capitals can boast of more delightful suburban resorts than those
which surround the Peruvian capital, making it possible for one to live
in a perennial paradise. In the mountains, a few leagues inland, is the
ideal climate of an altitude reaching from five thousand to eight
thousand feet above the sea, and tempered by its proximity to the
equator, so that, in winter, it is the most desirable place of residence
imaginable. Chosica and Matucana are destined to be renowned as popular
mountain resorts ere very long. Chosica is situated in the province of
Lima, on the line of the Oroya railway, two hours’ journey by train from
the capital. Many business men take their families to this resort, and
find it very convenient to reach their offices in town daily, as the
railway service is arranged to accommodate this demand. Matucana stands
at a much higher elevation, about eight thousand feet above sea level,
and is a couple of hours’ ride beyond Chosica on the same line of
railway. It is the capital of the province of Huarochiri, Department of
Lima, and is the political centre of an important district created
during the administration of Bolivar, who gave the citizens an
escutcheon with the inscription, “To the constant Patriots of
Huarochiri.” Matucana is quite a large town, and is increasing in
importance as the surrounding country is more generally explored for its
mines and other resources. Two trains daily each way carry passengers
between Lima and Matucana; many travellers bound for the sierra stop on
their way to enjoy a night’s rest at this healthful resort before
beginning the sharp ascent to the summit of the Andean range. The air is
fresh and cool, and one rarely suffers from _soroche_ at this altitude.
In summer, all Lima society deserts the capital to live at Chorillos,
Miraflores, Barranco, Magdalena, La Punta, Ancón, or some other of the
bathing resorts in its vicinity.
Chorillos is the Newport of Peru. Before the war with Chile it was the
wealthiest and most frequented summer resort in all South America; and,
even though it was completely reduced to ashes by the invading armies in
1881, it is to-day a beautiful suburb, having been almost entirely
rebuilt within the past twenty years. The site on which Chorillos is
built possesses advantages that are ideal for the purposes of a bathing
resort. Surrounding a sheltered cove that lies just under the brow of a
mountain two thousand feet high, called Morro Solar, is an uneven cliff,
rising at one point to a height of one hundred feet above the sea, and
here the city of Chorillos is situated. A beautiful terrace extends
along the edge of the cliff, where society gathers to enjoy the sea
breeze and to revel in the beauty of a Pacific sunset, under the warm
skies of the tropics.
The descent to the beach from the cliff is a picturesque and shaded
pathway, and the surf is particularly adapted for bathing, being smooth
and regular. The town has a population of three thousand, and in summer
the daily excursions from Lima bring many times that number to enjoy the
baths, the music, dances, boating, and other amusements. The Casino of
Chorillos is famous for its fashionable social affairs, and the Regatta
Club usually provides entertainments at intervals during the summer,
when Chorillos Bay is flecked with pretty white sails, launches, and
rowboats. Large and commodious electric cars run every few minutes
between Lima and Chorillos, the line having been recently extended to
reach another bathing resort, La Herradura, on the opposite side of the
Morro Solar, through which a tunnel has been built. Chorillos, Barranco,
and Miraflores are all connected with Lima by the same system of
railways. The distance between these resorts is very short and a shaded
driveway connects one with the other. Magdalena is situated between Lima
and Miraflores, and is reached by a separate car line; though the trip
may also be made by following the beautiful Avenida Magdalena, which
begins at the foot of the Paseo Colón, and extends all the way to
Magdalena.
La Punta, “The Point,” is another very popular bathing resort of Lima,
and it is growing in favor every year. It is located on the peninsula
which extends out into the sea at the port of Callao, and is frequented
by the people of Callao as well as those of Lima. Throngs of bathers
arrive by the trains that stop at La Punta every few minutes during the
day, and in the height of the summer season additional cars are put on
to accommodate the crowds. La Punta is located at the extremity of a
long narrow tongue of sandy beach, and cool breezes always blow across
it, refreshing and invigorating after the humid air of the capital.
Ancón, with its world-renowned necropolis of prehistoric treasures, lies
about twenty-five miles north of Lima, with which it is connected by
railway. It is quite popular as a bathing resort, and is a favorite
summer home for families; its climate is extremely healthful, and it is
regarded as a desirable place of residence most of the year. The dry
atmosphere and sandy soil are advantages always appreciated by invalids
suffering from pulmonary affections, and they are glad to enjoy the sea
air without the dampness that so often prevails at seaside resorts.
Whether in the charming capital, or in its picturesque and healthful
suburbs, the life of the Peruvian people is noted for its many agreeable
features, some of which are to be attributed to the blessings of climate
and the prodigality with which Nature has showered her wealth on the
land, though most of them are undoubtedly due to the amiable and
generous qualities of the people themselves, who have made their country
renowned abroad as the abode of an ever abundant and polite hospitality.
[Illustration: THE PRESENT STANDARD OF LIMA, AS MODIFIED IN 1808.]
[Illustration: A PICTURESQUE SUBURBAN DRIVEWAY, LIMA.]