Lima, La Ciudad de los Reyes,was founded in 1535 by  Francisco Pizarro under the authority of Charles-Quint, marking an important event in the Conquest of Peru. As capital of the Spanish empire of South America, then of the Vice-royalty of Peru when it was created in 1543, Lima catered to areas of rich mining and agricultural production.

During the second half of the 16th century, the number of religious institutions in Lima increased; these included the Monastery of San Francisco. The first university of the New World, San Marcos, was founded there in 1551. Large colonial homes were also constructed.

The majority of the important monuments and the square known as Plaza de Armas, which was the heart of the colonial city, are situated on the north side of the Rio Rimac; the older residential quarters are located on the south side. The orthogonal grid of the heart of Lima, which was laid out by Diego de Aguero, remains intact, and the central core has maintained its original functions.

The majority of monuments date to the 17th and 18th centuries. Most of the religious and civic buildings are Baroque in style, and exemplify the originality and the unity of Hispano-American architecture. The sculpted portals and balconies of carved wood add to the city's finery and character. In addition to its most important monuments, the historic centre possesses pre-colonial ruins, notably those of the ceremonial centre of La Florida.

The historic centre of Lima constitutes an excellent testimony to the architecture and urban development of an early and important Spanish colonial town in Latin America because of its politics, its economy and its culture.