Arequipa - Main Square

(Local Name: Plaza de Armas) The Plaza de Armas is a good starting point for touring Arequipa. This is the city center, surrounded by beautiful colonial architecture made of sillar stone. Gardens and a central fountain make this a pleasant are to sit and relax. The highlights in the Plaze de Armas are the Arequipa Cathedral and the colonnaded balconies. It is one of the most impressive main squares in Peru.

Aerquipa was rocked by a major earthquake in 2001 which caused considerable damage to some of the buildings in the Plaza de Armas but work has been done to repair the damage and restore the buildings.