HISTORICAL FACTS

Below we present a chronological outline of the development of the Cathedral of Lima (based on texts by P. Antonio San Cristóbal):

1535
Construction of the cathedral's small building begins between the Plaza Mayor and Calle de Judíos.

1538
The primitive church's construction is concluded. It is small and rustic.

March 11, 1540
Inauguration of the first church, constructed by Francisco Pizarro.

May 14, 1541
Paulo III's papal bull, Illius Fulciti Praesidio, makes the church a cathedral upon the creation of the diocese of the City of the Kings. The Cathedral is put under the advocacy of San Juan Evangelista, and no longer depends on Cuzco, instead being under Sevilla.

1542
Improvements on the temple are initiated when the church is built on the site ceded by García de Salcedo.

September 17, 1543
Bishop Jerónimo de Loayza signs the Act of Construction of the Cathedral of Lima and chooses his chapter.

February 12, 1546
Paulo III elevates the cathedral to Metropolitan Church by the papal bull Super Universa Orbis. In the process, Los Reyes becomes an archdiocese.

1551
Second cathedral's inauguration by archbishop Jerónimo de Loayza.

1564
Archbishop Jerónimo de Loayza charges Alonso Beltrán with making the cathedral like the one in Sevilla.

1572
Work on the third cathedral begins.

1598
Work on the third cathedral reinitiated.

February 2, 1604
The archbishop Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo inaugurates the first part of the third cathedral.

1609
An earthquake damages the vaults of the part of the cathedral already constructed.

1614 - 1615
The type of vault is changed from Renaissance groins to Gothic cross style.

August 15, 1622
Celebration of the first mass in the finished third cathedral. The signs of Francisco de Becerra remain, but his Renaissance project was abandoned.

October 19, 1625
Archbishop Gonzalo de Ocampo consecrates the third cathedral.

1687
Earthquake damages the vaults of the cathedral.

December 7, 1697
Inauguration of the reconstructed cathedral.

1732
The two posterior facades are constructed.

1746
Earthquake severely damages the vaults and pillars.

May 29 - 30, 1755
The first part of the reconstructed cathedral is inaugurated.

December 8, 1758
The second part of the reconstructed cathedral is inaugurated.

December 8, 1778
The whole of the cathedra's reconstructed interior is inaugurated by the archbishop Diego Antonio de Parada.

1794 - 1797
Construction of the current cathedral towers by the architect Ignacio Martorell.

January 17, 1893
The cathedral is closed due to its dilapidated condition.

January 7, 1896
Beginning of the cathedral's interior reconstruction work.

January 6, 1898
Solemn inauguration of the cathedral with its restructured interior.

1940
Earthquake. Restoration done by Emilio Harth-Terré.