Plaza de Armas

South Coast


Post-earthquake, Pisco’s main Plaza de Armas is a mishmash of the vanquished and the saved. The equestrian statue of José de San Martín, hand raised urging the city forward, falls into the latter category. Another survivor is the Moorish Palacio Municipal building dating from 1929 whose wrecked shell awaits a major refurb. Pisco’s biggest earthquake casualty was the colonial San Clemente Cathedral; a new, red-bricked church has gone up in its place.

Commerce has returned to pedestrianized San Martín, which runs west from the plaza and is beautified with benches, flower-covered trellises and a refreshing fountain.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby South Coast attractions

1. Statue of José de San Martín

0.01 MILES

This bronze statue of José de San Martín is the centerpiece of the the Plaza de Armas, with the independence hero on horseback with his hand raised urging…

2. San Clemente Cathedral

0.03 MILES

Pisco’s biggest casualty of the 2007 earthquake was the colonial San Clemente Cathedral. A new, modern, red-bricked church has gone up in its place,…

3. Palacio Municipal

0.04 MILES

The Moorish, pastel-colored City Hall building was badly damaged in the earthquake and sits on the corner of the park awaiting repair.

4. Candelabra Geoglyph

11.17 MILES

A giant three-pronged figure etched into the sandy hills, which is more than 150m high and 50m wide. No one knows exactly who made the glyph, or when, or…

5. Paracas Necropolis

11.51 MILES

A few hundred meters behind the visitor complex on Cerro Colorado are the 5000-year-old remains of a necropolis related to the Paracas culture, which…

6. Centro de Interpretación

11.84 MILES

Located 1.5km south of the entry point to Reserva Nacional de Paracas, this visitor center seems to be aimed for the most part at school groups rather…

7. Museo Julio C Tello

11.87 MILES

Right next to the park visitor center, in front of the Paracas Necropolis burial grounds on Cerro Colorado, this recently expanded museum features…

8. Islas Ballestas

13.15 MILES

Grandiosely nicknamed the ‘poor man’s Galápagos,’ the Islas Ballestas make for a memorable excursion. The only way to get here is on a boat tour, offered…

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