The San Francisco Catacombs

Location:
Plaza San Francisco, Jirón Ancash and Lampa
Central Lima, Lima, Peru

Museum

By Ricardo Segreda

This Franciscan church and monastery is one of the most haunting (almost literally) and memorable sites in all of Lima. Originally constructed in 1546, it is one of the oldest churches in South America. It also served as the first official Catholic cemetery in Lima, at a time when the dead were laid to rest in catacombs beneath the church, itself an echo of an old Roman custom. You will get to visit the catacombs and view the hundreds of centuries-old bones and scores of skulls as part of the guided tour. The church also has one of the oldest and most historically significant libraries in the Americas and dramatic collections of religious and secular art, including renaissance-era tiles imported from Spain.

Travel Skills: None

Contact Information:
Phone: 51-1-426-7377 / 427-1381, ext. 111
E-mail: informes(at)remove-this.museocatacumbas.com
URL: www.museocatacumbas.com