San Martin Square, Lima - Peru

It is a beautiful square located on Colmena Avenue, in block 9 within the historic center of the city of Lima. On the site of Plaza San Martin was formerly the former Convent of San Juan de Dios, which in 1850 had to be replaced by the railway station of the same name which was demolished between 1911 and 1918. From pre-Hispanic times, the square was a space strategic of the city of Lima, being its main conception, to generate a monumental space of metropolitan character.

Plaza san Martin, Lima – Perú

The construction of the buildings that adorn this beautiful square was gradually, the first buildings to come to light were the Colon Theater and the Giacoletti building, which were built in 1914, the other buildings were subsequently built in three stages: the first It was the Gran Hotel Bolivar, then the buildings of the portals of Zela and Pumacahua along with the National Club and as a last stage, around 1935 and 1945 the fronts of the square were built with the structures of the Fenix buildings, the Metro Cinema, South America and Boza.

Important things you should know

  • The monument was made in homage to José de San Martín and was sculpted by Mariano Benlliure, a well-known Valencian artist in Spain, Mariano was the winner of a contest organized by the Government of Peru.
  • It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988, because it is considered one of the most representative public spaces in the city of Lima.
  • It is connected to the Plaza Mayor of Lima by the Jirón de la Unión.
  • The layout, furniture, ornamentation and gardening of the square was designed by Manuel Piqueras Cotolí (architect, sculptor and urban planner born in Lucena, Spain, considered Peruvian since his greatest works were for and for Peru).
  • Currently the plaza is safe and looks quite neat, clean and with beautiful green areas.
    • Plaza san Martin, Lima – Perú

    Fun fact, anecdote at the inauguration of the Monument of Don José de San Martín

    In the year of 1921 on July 27, the inauguration of the square commemorating the centennial of the independence of Peru was held. The square was crowded with several foreign delegations and the general public that attended such an important event. And the moment to discover the monument had arrived, is when the president of then Augusto Bernardino Leguía and Salcedo starts the session pulling the rope that holds the canvas that covers the monument, then the canvas is stuck, is when a young man named Cipriano Cossio , climbs with a skill of his age, managing to untie the knot to drop the canvas, leaving the beautiful sculpture uncovered. Cipriano is trapped in the monument because he did not know how to get off, he had to wait for the firemen or also known as the "Bomba Lima" company to be rescued, they placed a ladder and Cipriano calmly, and on land he was awarded with a gold watch by the Municipality of Lima, in gratitude for his courageous acting.

    Plaza san Martin, Lima – Perú

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