Fountain at Plaza Mayor, Fountain in Plaza Mayor, Lima, Peru

The Fountain at Plaza Mayor is the fountain at the center of Lima's Plaza Mayor, in Peru. The present basin was inaugurated on September 8, 1651, replacing the first fountain built under Viceroy Francisco Álvarez de Toledo and inaugurated on October 21, 1578. Its design is attributed to the sculptor Pedro de Noguera, and it has been kept with some repairs since then.

The fountain was designed by Pedro de Noguera and inaugurated on September 8, 1651, at a time when Lima was already the main administrative center of Spanish South America. It was part of a broader effort to give the city's main square a formal and representative appearance.

The fountain stands at the center of Plaza Mayor, surrounded by the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and the City Hall on all sides. Locals and visitors pass by it daily, and it works as a natural meeting point at the heart of Lima's civic life.

The fountain sits in the middle of Plaza Mayor and is easy to reach on foot from any side of the square. Visiting during the day is a good idea, as natural light brings out the details of the bronze and marble work.

The 1651 fountain replaced an earlier one inaugurated on 21 October 1578 under viceroy Francisco Álvarez de Toledo. That first basin had eight mascarons with spouts pouring water into the great bowl, and its crowning piece was made by the silversmiths Miguel Morcillo and Juan Ruiz.