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Museo Catedral De Lima

Museums ·Lima ·Closed
4.63.3K
#3Museums in Lima#4Museums in PeruTravelers' Choice Best of the Best 2026
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About

Museo Catedral De Lima (Lima Cathedral): seat of the Archdiocese of Lima on the Plaza Mayor, the oldest church in Peru.

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Museo Catedral De Lima

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Why go

  • The crypt of Francisco Pizarro in the first chapel of the right nave, covered with mosaics of the Conquest.
  • The Neoclassical altarpiece of Our Lady of the Antique, dated 1799 and attributed to Matías Maestro.
  • The choir stalls designed by Martín Alonso de Mesa and made by Pedro de Noguera in the 17th century.
  • The 12 paintings from the Bassano workshop in the ante-sacristy, called the room of zodiac.

Opening hours

Today10:00 – 22:00Show all
Monday09:00 – 20:00
Tuesday09:00 – 20:00
Wednesday09:00 – 20:00
Thursday09:00 – 20:00
Friday09:00 – 20:00
Saturday10:00 – 22:00
Sunday13:00 – 19:00

Don't miss

  • Portada del PerdónThe main door, called the door of forgiveness. A national seal is placed above it.Central door of the facade
  • Chapter HouseMedallions of every Archbishop of Lima hang on the walls. Vestments that Pope John Paul II wore on his two visits to Peru are shown too.Off the left nave
  • Pipe organBuilt by Hippolyte Loret in Belgium, this large pipe organ has stood unused for over 60 years.Above the door to the Patio de los Naranjos
  • Via Crucis paintingsPaintings of the Via Crucis, the Way of the Cross, cover the side naves.Along the side naves

Know before you go

  • Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 20:00.
  • Saturday: 10:00 to 22:00.
  • Sunday: 13:00 to 19:00.

Legends and hidden details

  • According to legend, a vast treasure was hidden in the cathedral in 1820.

Interesting facts5

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  1. The ceiling uses wood-and-stucco ribbed vaults that look like a starry sky and take weight off the walls, which helps in earthquakes.

    Metropolitan Cathedral of Lima - Wikipedia

  2. Students of San Marcos University once took their academic degrees in this chapel.

    Metropolitan Cathedral of Lima - Wikipedia

  3. Just in front of the sarcophagus, a small chest holds soil from Pizarro's hometown, Trujillo.

    Metropolitan Cathedral of Lima - Wikipedia

  4. On Easter Sunday, a figure of the Risen Christ is carried out in a triumphal procession.

    Metropolitan Cathedral of Lima - Wikipedia

  5. The painting of Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza opens the Holy Week processions.

    Kathedrale von Lima - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

Construction began in 1535, when Francisco Pizarro laid the first stone on the site of an Inca shrine to Puma Inti. The first church opened in 1540, and Pope Paul III made the church a cathedral in 1541.

  1. 1535Francisco Pizarro lays the first stone on the site of an Inca shrine, as the city is founded.
  2. 1540The first church opens. In 1541 Pope Paul III raises it to cathedral status.
  3. 1585Architect Francisco Becerra is called from Cusco to build the third cathedral.
  4. 1746An earthquake nearly reduces the cathedral to ruins, and a new reconstruction begins.
  5. 1797The cathedral is completed in its present form.
Show all
  1. 1891The remains of Francisco Pizarro are moved into the cathedral and put on public display.
  2. 1977Restoration workers find a lead box in the crypt.

Sources: Metropolitan Cathedral of Lima - Wikipedia · Lima/Central Lima - Wikivoyage (see) · Kathedrale von Lima - Wikipedia · Cathédrale Saint-Jean de Lima - Wikipedia · checked 25 Oct 2026

Where
Jiron Carabaya s/n, Plaza de Armas de Lima, Lima

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

What are the opening hours of Museo Catedral De Lima?

It is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 20:00, on Saturday from 10:00 to 22:00, and on Sunday from 13:00 to 19:00.

Where is Museo Catedral De Lima?

It stands on the eastern side of the Plaza Mayor, on Jirón Carabaya, in the Historic Centre of Lima. The Archbishop's Palace and the Iglesia del Sagrario stand beside it.

Is Museo Catedral De Lima the oldest church in Peru?

Yes, it is the oldest and largest church in Peru. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, within the Historic Center of Lima.

Where is Francisco Pizarro buried in Museo Catedral De Lima?

His crypt is in the first chapel of the right nave, counting from the entrance. It is covered with mosaics of the Conquest.

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