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Peru's City Capital

If ever the Spaniards were made culprits to the premature death of the great Inca Empire, they more than make up for the "mistake" of introducing Peru to the modern world. In fact, it was the Spanish government who gave Peru its present name, which, according to historians, is neither Carribean nor Quechuan but Indo-Hispanic.

It was also under the Spanish rule that Lima was founded in 1535 and later on, was made the country's capital in 1542. At that time, Lima housed the first real Peruvian administrative and political institution, the Real Audencia, which is more commonly known as the Supreme Court. When Spain created the Viceroyalty of New Castilla, which was later on changed to Viceroyalty of Peru, Lima was also introduced as the official capital of the country. During this time, Peru was geared towards economic development, experiencing rapid growth at a painful price -- most Peruvians were subjected to Spanish slavery.

When Peru finally gained independence in 1824, Lima was already a splendid city of commercial and cultural wealth. Its rich resource of colonial-style buildings, museums, and churches, many of which are well-preserved up to this day, never fail to impress visiting tourists eversince. Interestingly, Lima's continuous growth did not suppress the calm and warm attitude of the locals, giving the city an aura of small-town neighborhood situated in a modern, hustling commercial landscape.