Exploring Lima’s Cultural Treasures: A Visit to Historic Church of San Francisco

Our exploration of some of Lima’s cultural treasures included visits to a modern home, and a 17^th-century church. The modern home, Casa Diez Canseco, would introduce us to a family history that goes back centuries. Historic Church of San Francisco, which dates back nearly half a millennium, would show us a place of great religious significance in a complex featuring incredible architecture, artwork, and a series of catacombs. Let’s get acquainted with a bit of that rich cultural history.

A (very) brief history of Lima, the City of Kings

Lima, Perú, is known as The City of Kings or Ciudad de Los Reyes. Why is Lima called The City of Kings? Here is a short history of Lima:

You probably know that Cusco was the seat of power for the Incas. But Cusco lies inland at an elevation of around 3350 meters (11,000 feet); you have to cross and climb some steep mountains to get there. Lima, on the other hand, lies right on the Pacific coast, making it much easier to get to.

Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro was busy making a name for himself in the early 1500s as he began vanquishing the Inca empire and other civilizations in South America. His exploits in South America earned him knighthood, a mayoral appointment, governorship, and the titles of marquis and adelantado back home in Spain.

Between disease, civil war within the Inca empire, and the superior weaponry of the Spanish forces, Cusco temporarily fell in 1533. Pizarro then headed for the coast to set up colonial shop. On 18 January 1538, Pizarro founded the City of Kings (Ciudad de Los Reyes). The city was so named because the day the Spanish arrived there was also the day of Epiphany, the day the magi, or wise men, arrived in Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus.

The original inhabitants of the city called it Lima-Limaq. But the story goes that the Spanish couldn’t pronounce the “q” in Limaq, so they dropped it, resulting in the name we now know as Lima. This is the name that endured the test of time; the name “City of Kings” faded into the background.

So now you know why Lima’s nickname is The City of Kings.

Casa Diez Canseco

Our tour included a welcome reception and what is called a Be My Guest Lunch. (Note: This special activity was only available with the package called Highlights of Perú offered by Trafalgar. I don’t think the package includes this visit to Casa Diez Canseco anymore. The activity is currently being held at a different venue.)

We arrived at Casa Diez Canseco, the private home of an illustrious family in Lima. The owner of the home, Elena Diez Canseco, greeted us. She proceeded to share with us the history of her family and gave us a tour of their beautiful home.

If I remember the story correctly, several centuries ago the family name used to be Canseco. During a war, one of the family members fought valiantly, killing ten of the enemy (Moors, I believe). One of the country’s leaders, suitably impressed, decreed that from that moment on, the warrior would be known as Diez Canseco. The family crest depicts the faces of ten Moors arranged in a rectangle surrounding a castle, with what appears to be a medieval knight’s helmet sitting on top.

Inside the house are many mementos, photographs, statues, books, paintings, portraits, woodwork, and a collection of glasswork obtained over the years. There is even a telegram addressed to the family from US President John F. Kennedy displayed on the wall. Well-furnished rooms, separated from visitors by glass doors and walls, lent somewhat of a museum feel to the home. This was an interesting and unique way to become acquainted with the family’s history, and by extension Lima’s history.

Continuing on inside the Diez Canseco home, a couple of domed vaulted ceilings, complete with small windows and finished in brick loomed over us as we ventured down a hallway, leading into a large dining area. On the table, a grand spread awaited us. We were not expecting such a display; we were very pleasantly surprised. The banquet included lomo saltado, causa rellena de pollo, chicken salad, corn, tomato, sweet carrot, chicken and ham roll with mushroom sauce, and a few other dishes I did not recognize.

After loading up our plates, we walked outside into the park-like backyard. Amid the trees and pool, tables and chairs were set up for us to dine and converse. Immaculately dressed waiters in purple jackets greeted us and immediately offered us something called a pisco sour, which resembles (and somewhat tastes like) a margarita. There was also a purple drink called chicha morada.

This was a wonderful introduction to pisco sour, the national drink of Perú. My wife and I would end up having a pisco sour on nine of the twelve days we were in Perú.

The introduction to chicha morada would be reinforced a few days later at a chicheria in Cusco. Chicha morada is now my favorite Peruvian drink.

I could’ve stayed here a little longer, but this is someone’s private residence. We are very fortunate that Ms. Diez Canseco opened her home to guests in this manner. In a way, it felt like seeing a long and storied history through the eyes of the Diez Canseco family. We bid farewell and thanked our hostess, Ms. Diez Canseco, and headed toward the historic center of Lima.

Church of San Francisco

Though I did take a short walk around Lima yesterday and got to see some of the modern parts of the city, this would be my first opportunity to get up close and personal with the colonial side of Lima.

What is often referred to as the Church of San Francisco (Iglesia de San Francisco) is actually two edifices: The main church of Saint Francis of Assisi, or San Francisco of Asís, and the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco of Lima (Basílica y Convento de San Francisco de Lima). Here, also, is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Solitude (Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad), which I’ll show you in a couple of minutes. Outside these churches is a long plaza, in the shape of the letter “P”, called Plazuela San Francisco.

After land for the church was granted by the founder of Lima (not the original Lima-Limaq), Francisco Pizarro, construction began in 1546. It was designed in the baroque style. But it wasn’t built strong enough to withstand Perú’s frequent earthquakes. It was pretty much destroyed by a temblor in 1655. Rebuilding began about twenty years later using a different design. The new building has survived several quakes since then. The church has required only a few repairs here and there, but remains the solid structure you see today. The yellow color is possibly in keeping with the original name of the city, lima-limaq, which means “yellow flower” in the Aymara language.

As we entered the church, I was mesmerized. It is huge! It looks like half the population of Lima could fit inside! (Obviously, that’s an exaggeration, but you get the idea.) Vaulted ceilings, columns, all decorated in tiles and latticework. And the pulpit is a work of art in itself. Reminds me of several churches I’ve seen in Europe.

Basilica and Convent of San Francisco

Next, we walked into the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco. This was the first structure built on the land granted by Pizarro. Inside are numerous chambers and other rooms, most decorated in some form of intricate tilework, engraving, painting, and other artwork. Exquisite woodwork is featured throughout the basilica. Breathtaking ceiling frescoes immediately grab your eye as you walk through. Each part of the building — alter, lobby, Profundis Room, archive, dome, and all of the others — is impressive. It is definitely worth a few moments of admiration and reflection as you walk through.

Something I came to notice later is that Peruvians have taken the Catholic religion brought by the Spanish, and incorporated parts of their own culture. One example: in the back of the Refectory is a wall-sized painting of The Last Supper by Diego de la Puente. Instead of the bread and wine you’d expect to see set on the table before Jesus and His disciples, if you look closely, you’ll see this one shows a meal of guinea pig, or cuy, and potatoes, with a few scattered chilis.

When we came into the Chorus room and saw the choir stalls, I had to pause and let my brain catch up to what my eyes were seeing. There are 130 stalls here, all made of cedar, all intricately carved in relief. I had never seen a choir stall this ornate, this elaborately engraved before.

The massive library is a literary treasure, numbering some 25,000 books, including a version of the Holy Bible that dates back to the late 16^th century. Included are works by Benedictine, Jesuit, and Augustine priests, plus thousands of scrolls.

There’s a garden and courtyard in the center. We toured around the colonnade, completing the circuit of the courtyard. If you visit, take a few moments to appreciate the murals and tilework in the cloisters. Some are broken, but there is a restoration process in place. The designs in the tile remind me of Centro Social, Cívico y Cultural Riviera del Pacifico in Ensenada, México.

It was kind of peaceful here looking out into the garden. For a brief moment, you can imagine what it must have been like for the Franciscan monks who lived and studied here.

But what you see above ground is not the whole story:

Ossuary of San Francisco

The complex also houses the Catacombs of San Francisco (Catacumbas del Convento de San Francisco), also called the Ossuary of San Francisco.

To get down to the ossuary, you have to go through a series of tunnels and catacombs. I’m not really all that tall — just six feet — but I had to duck to avoid hitting my head on some of the low archways. Remember to mind your head when walking through the tunnels and walkways.

The catacombs and ossuary have been there since the church was built. Burials ceased around 1810 and the ossuary was pretty much forgotten for nearly a century. The catacombs and ossuary were only rediscovered in 1943. There are a number of doors and corridors down there that some speculate lead to government buildings and/or other churches.

Depending on your source, the skeletal remains of 25,000 to 70,000 people are down there in wells in the catacombs. The bones are skillfully arranged and segregated by, um, body parts. I hear this was done when archeologists were sorting through and cataloguing the skeletons. Check out the links above to see the results. Looking down into the wells where the bones are located, it’s kind of like viewing art (drawings made on a Spirograph design set come to mind). It is beautiful in a very macabre sort of way.

Both the convent and the church are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Solitude (Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad)

Right next door is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Solitude (Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad). The current sanctuary was built in 1669 and inaugurated in 1672. The building has been remodeled/restored a number of times after a few earthquakes caused damage to the structure. Interestingly, the interior is of a neo-classical design while the exterior features baroque architecture.

At the altar inside the church is an image of Our Lady of Solitude, one of the most respected and revered images in and around Lima. Limeños have been coming before the virgin in devout faithfulness for more than 400 years and have received numerous blessings. During Lent and Holy Week, many come to celebrate. If you’re here at this time of year, you’ll likely see the procession of Our Lady of Solitude, which takes place on Good Friday.

We weren’t allowed to take photos inside but here’s an image I found on the internet.

Casa de la Literatura Peruana (House of the Peruvian Literature)

Though we didn’t go inside, we did walk up to Casa de la Literatura Peruana (House of the Peruvian Literature) (Website is in Spanish). This used to be a train station called Estacion Desamparados (Desamperados Station), which means “Station of the Helpless”. It was named after the church and orphanage that used to be on this site prior to construction of the station. If you look at the photo, just under the clock you’ll see the words Ferrocarril Central (Central Railway). And just above the main door, the former station name Estacion Desamparados is still there.

No longer a train station, in 2009 it re-opened as the Casa de la Literatura Peruana. Inside, visitors will find a vast library containing works of various Peruvian authors, art exhibitions, educational programs, lecture and discussion halls, activities, etc. Banners draped outside the building announce current and upcoming exhibitions. Because this cultural center is part of the Ministry of Education, admission and services are free.

What is it like inside the House of Peruvian Literature? Honestly, I don’t know. What I’m sharing with you here is what I have found on the internet. And from what I am reading, the “Station of the Helpless” has quite a story to tell. I could see spending an entire day here reading and learning about Perú as seen through the eyes of its people. It is suggested if you want to dive into the writings of Peruvian authors, books by Julio Ramón Ribeyro, Cesar Vallejo, and Abraham Valdelomar are good places to start.

Chasing churros

While hanging out in the Plaza (Plazuela San Francisco) waiting for our group to regroup, I spotted a young vendor outside the fence selling Peruvian churros. I knew I’d have enough time to grab one and eat it before our group moved on to the next stop. I jogged up to the gate, exited, and jogged back along Jr. Áncash over to Jr. Lampa (I found our Jr. is short for Jirón. It’s the street equivalent to Ln. for Lane or Wy. for Way in English), but he wasn’t there. It was like he just vanished. There was no way he could’ve just disappeared that fast, so I looked up and down the street… and saw him nearly a block away.

No way I was letting the kid out of my sight this time. I broke into a run and caught up to him just as he was entering another building halfway down the block. Turns out the building he went into was a churro shop, Churros San Francisco, I think. Apparently, he was finishing up for the day and returning to the shop. But he graciously agreed to one last sale and I got my Peruvian churro. (It probably made him look good in the eyes of his employer, too.) Now I had to quickly run back to meet the group, then hurriedly — instead of leisurely as originally planned when I first saw the vendor — eat my churro.

How was the pastry? Light, crunchy, but not as sweet as what I’m used to. Honestly, it was good, but not as good as I expected. That’s probably because, I admit, I have been completely spoiled by the churros in Ensenada, México. I am glad I got to try one from Perú, though.

As I wolfed down my churro, I did take a moment to reflect on what we just experienced. It never fails to amaze me that buildings this beautifully designed and constructed were built nearly 400 years ago. The reverence and dedication the Spanish had/have for their religion is well known, but to see it expressed in places like the Church of San Francisco… you cannot help but be moved.

Photo credit: Iglesia de San Francisco – Diego Delso, delso.photo, License CC-BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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