The Catacombs of Lima are crypts that served members of associations of Catholic faithful, located at the bottom of the church of San Francisco and are considered by the church as a historical heritage. His style is very similar to those found in Paris. Undoubtedly one of the good choices to make in Lima.
The entrance to the catacombs of Lima is from the hall porter, from there begins the history and artistic elements that make life in the place, which include floor tiles, paintings and sculptures of saints.
The tour guide will definitely capture your attention with the history of the place, the origin of architectural and religious elements, the regular work of the Franciscan friars and the rooms within the convent of San Francisco.
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As a whole many are surprised to learn that there are also catacombs found in Peru – especially since they are better well-known in Europe in places such as Paris and Naples.
Although Lima of course has its own rich ancient history (with those such as the Lima civilisation and the Paracas culture who used to occupy nearby territories), it’s important to remember that there was also the colonial period. During this time the Spanish brought over many different architectural styles and developments, which included the catacombs.
They were finally built in 1546 by the Franciscan order, some 14 years after the Spanish invaded Peru. The main reason was to bury the remains of people from the city, which included many important people of this period.
The catacombs are open for visits virtually all days of the year, where you’ll need to purchase your catacomb Lima tickets to be able to enter. If you want to head here then we highly suggest joining a guided tour around this architectural wonder, given you’ll learn much more with personalized attention when walking through the catacombs
The tour of the catacombs of Lima is entirely underground and takes about 30 minutes. Those who visit can see the vaults built with brick, masonry, while at the bottom you can see how the bodies were accommodated for better distribution.
Overall it’s believed that the skeletal remains of over 25,000 people are buried down here, and it’s really amazing to see just how well the different bones, skulls, tibias, femurs and fibulas are preserved.
This means that aside from seeing quite an extravagant and spooky array of bones, you’ll also be visiting one of the most unique sites in all of Lima. Just remember to bring a jumper since it can get somewhat chilly down there!
Here at TravelBuddiesPeru we operate a guided day trip to the catacombs of Lima, where we will explore this classic architectural sight. As well as this, we will also visit other key sites within the historic center such as the Plaza Mayor, whilst also getting to sample authentic Pisco.
In this section we’ll now explore the most frequent questions we get about the catacombs of Lima in Peru.
Over 25,000 people were buried here, who were mostly from the Lima area – although it’s also interesting to know that many important historical figures were also buried within the Lima catacombs, such as Fray Ramón and Constantino de Vasconcellos. This total number could end up being much higher too, given that many believe there to be even more secret passages located deeper below.
This beautiful, yellow-stained church is one of the most iconic sites in downtown Lima, and is a worthy visit when walking around this area of the Peruvian capital. It’s located directly above the catacombs of Lima, and also has many interesting artifacts of its own (you’ll also get a visit included with your catacomb Lima ticket). This includes the series of religious murals found inside, as well as an ancient library with over 25,000 novel books that still remain here.
Currently at this time, the Lima catacombs are open from 9:00am until 6:00pm all days of the week. It’s important to know that the catacomb opening hours are subject to change at any time, so it’s important to double-check on the day that you will be visiting (if deciding to go independently, that is).
And that’s all for this guide on why you should visit the catacombs of Lima.
Built way back in the 16th century, the Lima catacombs are actually the second most expansive on the planet after those in Paris. Here we can head on an organized tour to explore them, which houses the human remains of over 25,000 people.
Are you looking to explore the catacombs? You can join our day trip here where we will guide you around this fantastic architectural site, as well as visiting other important landmarks around Lima’s historic center.
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