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 As frequently occurred in Peru, the native title superseded the Spanish one, and “Lima,” which is a corruption of “Rimac,” is now the name universally given to the capital that was more pompously christened “La Ciudad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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.