Plaza de Armas

Arequipa

Arequipa’s main plaza, unblemished by modern interference, is a museum of the city’s sillar (volcanic rock) architecture – white, muscular and aesthetically unique. Impressive colonnaded balconies line three sides. The fourth is given over to Peru’s widest cathedral, a humongous edifice with two soaring towers. Even this is dwarfed by the dual snowcapped sentinels of El Misti and Chanchani, both visible from various points in the central park.

Arequipeños (inhabitants of Arequipa) are a proud people fond of intellectual debate, especially about their fervent political beliefs, which historically found voice through regular demonstrations in the Plaza de Armas. In mid-2015, protests and traffic were (controversially) banned in and around the plaza to make it more tourist-friendly. Naturally crowds still gather in defiant dissent.

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Monasterio de Santa Catalina
0.2 MILES
This convent shouldn’t be missed, even if you’ve overdosed on colonial edifices. Occupying a whole block and guarded by imposing high walls, it is one of…
Museo Santuarios Andinos
0.07 MILES
There’s an escalating drama to this theatrically presented museum, dedicated to the preserved body of a frozen ‘mummy,’ and its compulsory guided tour …
Museo de la Catedral
0.04 MILES
A must for visitors who want to see more of Arequipa's cathedral, the included 45-minute bilingual tour of this 'museum' is actually a peek at the inner…
Yanahuara
0.84 MILES
This tranquil neighborhood makes for a pleasant, walkable excursion, with a mirador (lookout) as its centerpiece providing excellent views of Arequipa and…
La Catedral
0.05 MILES
This beautiful building on the Plaza de Armas stands out for its stark white sillar (volcanic rock) and massive size – it's the only cathedral in Peru…
Laguna de Salinas
24 MILES
This salt lake 4300m above sea level becomes a white salt flat during the dry months of May to December. Its size and the amount of water in it vary each…
Convento y Museo de la Recoleta
0.49 MILES
Bibliophiles will delight in this musty monastery's huge library, which contains more than 20,000 dusty books and maps; the oldest volume dates to 1494…
Iglesia de La Compañía
0.07 MILES
If Arequipa’s cathedral seems too big, an interesting antidote is this diminutive Jesuit church on the southeast corner of the Plaza de Armas. Proving…

View more attractions

Nearby Arequipa attractions

1. Museo de la Catedral

0.04 MILES

A must for visitors who want to see more of Arequipa's cathedral, the included 45-minute bilingual tour of this 'museum' is actually a peek at the inner…

2. La Catedral

0.05 MILES

This beautiful building on the Plaza de Armas stands out for its stark white sillar (volcanic rock) and massive size – it's the only cathedral in Peru…

3. Iglesia de La Compañía

0.07 MILES

If Arequipa’s cathedral seems too big, an interesting antidote is this diminutive Jesuit church on the southeast corner of the Plaza de Armas. Proving…

4. Casona Iriberry

0.07 MILES

It's worth a peek inside this casona (large house); the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín (UNSA) is located within its 18th-century colonial halls and…

5. Museo Santuarios Andinos

0.07 MILES

There’s an escalating drama to this theatrically presented museum, dedicated to the preserved body of a frozen ‘mummy,’ and its compulsory guided tour …

6. Casa Ricketts

0.08 MILES

The ornate Casa Ricketts has served as a seminary, archbishop’s palace, school and home to well-to-do families since it was built in 1738. Today it is the…

7. San Ignacio Chapel

0.09 MILES

This chapel's polychrome cupola is smothered in jungle-like murals of tropical flowers, fruit and birds, among which mingle warriors and angels. It's…

8. Iglesia de San Agustín

0.11 MILES

This baroque church was originally constructed in 1575, destroyed in an earthquake in 1868 and then rebuilt by the end of that century. The exterior is…

View more attractions

placement: superzone
path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],

targeting:

{
  "url": "peru/arequipa-and-canyon-country/arequipa/attractions/plaza-de-armas/a/poi-sig/436954/363389",
  "destination": "Arequipa",
  "continent": "South-America",
  "country": "Peru",
  "city": "Arequipa",
  "position": "superzone"
}