Which capital of Peru was founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535? Lima is the Peruvian capital founded by Pizarro on January 18, 1535.
Pizarro established the city on Peru’s central coast in the valley of the Rímac River. The location offered practical advantages over the highland settlement of Jauja: it was closer to the Pacific Ocean and had access to water, farmland, and transport routes. The new city was formally named Ciudad de los Reyes, or “City of the Kings,” although Lima eventually became the usual name.
The site was not empty before the Spanish foundation. The Rímac and Lurín valleys had long been inhabited, first by Indigenous societies including the Ichma and later by the Inca. Archaeological remains, such as the nearby monumental complex of Pachacamac, reflect that deeper history.
Lima became the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru in 1543 and later remained the capital of the independent Republic of Peru. A common mistake is to identify Cusco, the former Inca imperial center, as Peru’s present-day capital.