January 18 is Foundation Day of Lima, the capital of Peru. It was founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535. This is not a public holiday, but it is observed among the citizens of Lima.
Lima was established by Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro. They defeated the Inca ruler Atahualpa and took over his empire. Pizarro looked for the place to establish the capital and found a location in the valley of the Rímac River, that was close to the Pacific Ocean, had enough of wood and water provisions, extensive fields and fair weather.
Lima prospered in the 17th century, when it became the center of an extensive trade network, where the merchants started exchanging Peruvian silver for imported goods. The population of Lima grew very fast, but at the same time the city was not free from dangers. Devastating earthquakes destroyed the surroundings of the city. The earthquake of 1687 coincided with a recession in trade and the earthquake of 1746 destroyed the city. The city experienced decline.
Peru got its independence in the second half of the 18th century. The following wars and earthquakes slowed down the development of Lima till the end of the 1940s, when the growth of the city was spurred by immigration, and today about one-third of the Peruvian population lives in the metropolitan area.
Lima was strongly influenced by Andean, African, European and Asian culture. It is a melting pot of immigrants, colonizers and indigenous people. The historic center of Lima was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
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