Arco de Santa Clara

The Arco de Santa Clara is a stone structure with three semicircular vaults supported by carved stone columns that span across Santa Clara Street. The arch connects buildings on both sides of the street and forms a distinctive architectural feature in the city.

The arch was commissioned in 1835 to mark the establishment of the Peru-Bolivian Confederation under General Andrés de Santa Cruz. This period was significant for the region's political development.

The arch displays a Peruvian shield, condor sculptures, and a liberty statue with a Phrygian cap, all created by local artist Ernesto Olazo Allende. These symbols reflect important national values that visitors notice as they walk through.

The structure is centrally located and accessible on foot by heading southwest from Plaza de Armas along Mantas Street and turning left onto Santa Clara Street. The best time to visit is in the morning when fewer people are around and the lighting is better.

A bronze plaque installed in 1944 within the main opening of the arch honors the heroes of Peru's independence movement led by Tupac Amaru II. This commemorative plaque connects the histories of multiple periods in one location.