Plaza San Martín

Plaza San Martín is a central square in the Historic Centre of Lima, Peru, with a bronze equestrian monument in the middle and neocolonial buildings surrounding it. The square is paved with granite slabs and framed by marble benches that offer seating for visitors.

The square was inaugurated in 1921 to celebrate the centennial of Peru's independence. A hospital and a railway station building stood on this site before that.

In the evenings, locals sit on the benches to meet friends or have a conversation, while the lamps spread a warm glow across the pavement. The name honors a leader of the independence movement, whose equestrian statue anchors the center of the square.

The square sits at the ninth block of Colmena Avenue and connects to Plaza Mayor through the pedestrian street Jirón de la Unión. The area is busy during daytime and works well as a short stop during a walk through the center.

The bronze figure of Madre Patria at the monument's base wears a small llama on her head, which came from a Spanish translation error. The mistake was never corrected and remains a detail many visitors overlook.

Location: Lima

Location: Lima province

Architects: Manuel Piqueras Cotolí

GPS coordinates: -12.05150,-77.03450

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:26