Peru’s capital city is Lima.
Lima lies on Peru’s central Pacific coast, near the mouth of the Rímac River. Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro founded the city on January 18, 1535, giving it the formal name Ciudad de los Reyes, or “City of the Kings.” Its coastal location made it a useful administrative and trading center.
Lima became the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru and grew into one of the most important cities in Spain’s South American empire. After Peru’s independence, it remained the national capital and today serves as the country’s political, economic, and cultural center. Its historic center contains colonial churches, plazas, and buildings recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A common mix-up is Cusco, which was the capital of the Inca Empire and remains one of Peru’s best-known historic cities. Arequipa is another major Peruvian city, but neither is the country’s modern national capital. Lima is also notable for its unusually dry climate despite frequent coastal fog, influenced by the cold Humboldt Current offshore.