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• 5 details about the Catacombs of Lima, one of the oldest in South America

Would you dare to visit one of the gloomiest places in the city?

Catacombs, Lima Credit: Ernesto Benavides / PromPerú

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There are many dark stories and legends about the catacombs located under the San Francisco de Asís Convent: a historic Lima cemetery whose underground vaults, dating from colonial times, served to bury more than 25,000 people. This has made them very popular, becoming them a very visited place in the historic center of the Peruvian capital.

In the past, as the population of Lima increased, the death toll also increased. The inhabitants used to bury their deceased in the depths of the temples. This is how extensive tunnel networks and underground cemeteries were built throughout the historic center , such as the San Francisco Monumental Complex, which functioned until 1810.

1. Architectural gem

Built in 1535, the Convent of San Francisco is a must-see for its beautiful Baroque-style architecture and all that it hides. Its interior houses the churches of San Francisco, La Soledad and El Milagro, whose cloisters, patios and annexes make up everything that constitutes this religious complex.

It has an impressive library considered one of the most complete in the world, with approximately 25,000 books of theology, philosophy, history and literature, as well as 17th century artistic works by famous European painters.

The beauty and harmony of its arches decorated with dazzling tiles and beautiful paintings contrast with the gloomy atmosphere that surrounds the basements of this building.

Built in 1535, the Convent of San Francisco is a must-see for its beautiful Baroque-style architecture. Crédito: PromPerú.

2. Anti-seismic structures

The catacombs or crypts of Lima are considered the largest in the entire continent and also the best preserved. Its vast extension is only surpassed by the famous Catacombs of Paris. When walking through its passages and galleries, it draws attention to the enormous wells up to 10 meters deep filled with bones and human skulls whose purpose would have been to preserve the old building from the impact of earthquakes.

3. An underground network

It is believed that, due to the existence of catacombs located in the basements of nearby churches, there is a network of paths and secret passages that connect the extremes of the center of Lima, which cross below the Cathedral of Lima, the Convent of San Francisco and expand to the Convent of Santo Domingo and the Church of Santa Ana.

According to historical sources, in the mid-18th century, Viceroy Manuel de Amat y Junyent planned to expand the crypts with the construction of new wells and niches, however, the project was not completed and, therefore, many passages and roads were left unfinished in the middle of an underground necropolis. Some would be found below the back gardens of the current Government Palace and would even reach the Port of Callao.

It is believed that, there is a network of paths and secret passages that connect the extremes of the center of Lima. Credit: Ernesto Benavides / PromPerú.

4. Illustrious deceased

A series of well-known characters from the viceregal period rest in the Catacombs of Lima. One of them is Fray Juan Gómez, an important doctor who became known for assisting the Christian missionary San Francisco Solano during his long disease. Also buried there is Fray Ramón y Tagle y Bracho, one of the sons of the Marquises of Torre Tagle, and Fray Andrés Corso, who was one of the founders of the Convento de los Descalzos del Rímac.

Other important figures who lie buried there are the Portuguese architect Constantino de Vasconcellos, who designed this and other Lima buildings, as well as the viceroys Marqués de Castelldosrius and the Count of Salvatierra. Currently, historians continue to investigate the names of the thousands of people who rest in this place, among whom are lords, illustrious ladies, religious and citizens.

5. The legend of the monk

Tell the story that, because of the cruel killings and torture that took place during the colonial era, many souls were left in pain inside the catacombs. Many people report seeing souls dressed in dark suits levitating over the passageways and yelling chilling sounds.

One of the best known legends describes an elderly monk who, in occasions, is seen at night walking the hallways of the place, being observed by visitors and workers of the site. Do you dare to visit it?

Tell the story that, many souls were left in pain inside the catacombs. Credit: PromPerú.

Sources: Peru21 / Wamanadventures / RPP / Museo Catacumbas

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Time to Discover: The Monastery of San Francisco, Lima (and the Creepy Catacombs)

The Monastery of San Francisco, Lima and the accompanying Church of San Francisco are two of Lima’s most impressive sights. Read my full guide to visiting, along with the monastery’s creepy catacombs.  

I’ve been in Lima (Peru) for a few days and have been absolutely loving it. I wasn’t sure if I would like it to be honest, but it’s really captured my heart. J & I have been wandering around, capturing street art, eating ceviche, drinking pisco sours and generally having a great time on our travels.

Anyway, we took a trip to Lima’s Monastery of San Francisco yesterday and it was really one of the highlights of the trip so far.

What is generally referred to as the Monastery of San Francisco is actually two different parts. The first is the Iglesia or Church of San Francisco and the second is the Convento de San Francisco, which is where the Franciscan monks lived, ate and studied.

First Impressions of the Monastery of San Francisco

The Monastery of San Francisco was blessed in the 17th century, 1673 to be precise, but wasn’t completed until 1774. Over the years, it’s withstood several serious earthquakes in Lima and had its fair share of damage from some of them.

That said, the complex has always been lovingly restored, so much so that walking around both the inside and the outside really feels like you are stepping back in time.

It was hot and sunny when we arrived, so I thought I’d sneak in a cheeky Periscope video of the impressive baroque building before going into the monastery and church themselves.

Little did I know that when I started doing my usual semi-nervous and slightly awkward spiel that Periscope would choose it as one of their live videos and the post would go viral.

At one point there were well over 1,000 viewers and it’s now sitting on a total of 12,000 viewers.

Visiting the Convento de San Francisco

Once my temporary fame was over, we went into the Convento de San Francisco, paid our 10 soles and waited for the guided tour of the buildings to start.

Our guide showed our small group around the whole of the San Francisco Monastery.

Our first stop was the Convento de San Francisco’s library, which holds over 25,000 Spanish, English and Quechua books from the 16th to the 20th centuries.

Shelves and shelves of ancient tomes are stacked above each other in the ornately decorated room.

Many of the library’s books are now so old and delicate that they can only be handled by the Franciscan monks themselves. There’s even a version of the Bible dating from 1571.

The Convento is built around a peaceful central garden filled with mango and lucuma fruit trees, along with many other things. Much as I loved the gardens, the cloisters were really something else.

The interiors of the Convento and the Iglesia are heavily-influenced by Moorish designs: everywhere you look there are elaborately carved wooden ceilings and ornately decorated tiles.

The Cloisters

Above the beautiful tile-work, you may be able to spot the series of murals depicting the life of St Francis of Assisi (to whom the Convento and Church are dedicated to and named after).

Some of the murals have been restored. Strangely though, all those that haven’t have chunks missing from the artwork and no-one knows why – all a bit bizarre but beautiful nonetheless.

The cloisters lead to a series of rooms, each one filled with something a little different. One is filled with ceiling frescoes and a magnificent golden centrepiece depicting angels, flowers and fruit surrounding the Virgin Mary.

The next featured a series of 17th century paintings following the Passion of the Christ in the Ruben’s style of carefully-balanced darkness and light.

I particularly loved the grand refectory with its huge, carved wooden seats.

The main feature here is Diego de la Puerto’s 1696 painting of The Last Supper. Sure, we’ve all seen pictures of the last supper before but have you ever seen one with guinea-pigs and potatoes as part of the meal? Thought not.

De La Puerto wanted to do something a little different to the traditional representations of the biblical story. So he created a version that represented the meeting of the Peruvian and Spanish cultures.

Visiting the Catacombs

There’s a hidden (and perhaps darker) side to the Monastery of San Francisco than appears at first sight… the catacombs.

Descend into the foundations of the church and you will find the Monastery of San Francisco Lima catacombs – the largest catacombs in Lima.

In Incan times, people were buried under important places. When the Spaniards arrived, they changed this tradition so that people were buried under the churches instead.

Over 25,000 people were buried in the catacombs up until 1808. They were closed and then forgotten about until they were rediscovered and reopened in 1947.

When they were reopened, the archaeologists and anthropologists decided to sort through the skeletons and separate them out (grim, grim, grim). That’s why when you visit today, you will find the graves separated by different body parts.

Whether you like the idea of descending into the catacombs or not, I had a somewhat macabre fascination with the way the bones have been organised into patterns and shapes. Again, grim but, you know…

Inside the San Francisco Church

It will come as no surprise that it was pretty dark and gloomy in the catacombs and it was a real relief to come up to the fresh air and go into the Church itself. Impressive or what?

It’s almost like I saved the best ’til last. 

The vaults and columns showcase the Moorish-styled decor to perfection, so much so that I found it difficult to stop taking pictures and just focus on the fact that this is a crazily impressive building.

So there it is, the Monastery of San Francisco. Have you been? What did you think? I’d definitely say it’s one of the things in Lima that travellers should make sure they see.

Practical Information for Your Visit

Address: Jirón Lampa, Distrito de Lima 15001, Peru

Phone: (01) 4267377

Guided tours of the Monastery are 10 Soles (c.£2.50) for adults.

Looking for more Peru travel inspiration? Check out these handy guides

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I’m Julianna Barnaby - a professional travel writer and geek extraordinaire. I started The Discoveries Of to help you to discover the best of new destinations from around the world.

Discovering new places is a thrill - whether it’s close to home, a new country or continent, I write to help you explore more and explore differently.

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Catacombs at the Catedral de Lima

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A city tour of Lima isn’t complete without visiting the catacombs of the Monastery of San Francisco . The basement of the working monastery reveals the bones of wealthy Limeños who believed they would be the last to rest in their expensive plots. The tour reveals what actually happened to their remains. Since the catacombs couldn’t expand and affluent Catholics, unfortunately, kept dying, bodies were stacked to decompose down to the bones, and now the larger bones (femurs, forearms, and skulls) are arranged artistically in a circular pattern to make them more aesthetically pleasing to visitors. The site is interesting from both a historical and modern sociological, ethical, and religious standpoint.

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The lovely bones.

Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at [email protected].

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Meet the Catacombs of Lima

The Catacombs of Lima are crypts that served members of associations of Catholic faithful, located at the bottom of the church of San Francisco and are considered by the church as a historical heritage. His style is very similar to those found in Paris . Undoubtedly one of the good choices to make in Lima.

The entrance to the catacombs of Lima is from the hall porter, from there begins the history and artistic elements that make life in the place, which include floor tiles, paintings and sculptures of saints.

The tour guide will definitely capture your attention with the history of the place, the origin of architectural and religious elements, the regular work of the Franciscan friars and the rooms within the convent of San Francisco.

Walking through the catacombs

The tour of the catacombs of Lima is entirely underground and takes about 30 minutes.

Those who visit can see the vaults built with brick, masonry, while at the bottom you can see how the bodies were accommodated for better distribution.

It is estimated that once must hold at least a 25 thousand people.

It’s amazing how some bones and skulls, tibias, femurs and fibulas are preserved.

Peru Travel Buddies takes you to the catacombs have become a tourist and historical indole that has rocked more than one visitor.

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Lima Walking City Tour with Catacombs Museum Visit

*Per person

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The historical Center of Lima is declared world heritage by UNESCO. San Martin Square, Plaza de Armas, The Cathedral, The Presidential Palace and other stunning buildings will be seen during this walking tour where you will learn about the colonial time in Peru’s capital. Get ready to visit the San Francisco de Asis Museum & The Catacombs!

Places to visit

LIMA HISTORIC CENTER

Plaza San Martin

After picking you up, we will take you to the Historical Center of Lima to show its main highlights. First, we visit this Plaza made in 19 hundred to commemorate 100 years of Peruvian independence. The surrounding buildings are great, displaying Neoclassic style.

Plaza Mayor de Lima (Main square)

Then, we will go to the Main square, the most representative one in Peru where you will see impressive buildings such as “The Presidential Palace”, “The City Hall of Lima”, “The Cathedral”, The Archbishop’s Palace” and more.

San Francisco de Asis Museum & The Catacombs

Finally, we will take you to the most interesting museum in downtown Lima. Your expert guide will explain you about the rich history of Peru’s capital. Get ready to explore the underground Catacombs!

• Marvel at Lima’s ancient colonial architecture.
• Learn about Lima’s history from your expert English-speaking guide.
• Explore the underground catacombs museum in The San Francisco de Asisi Museum.
• We recommend bringing comfortable clothes and shoes, sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen.

PICK UP AREAS

Pick up and drop off included only from: Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro, Lima Historic Center, Lince, Magdalena, Pueblo libre, Jesús María, Surquillo, Santiago de Surco and San Borja.

Book with us and be part of this unforgettable experience!

Information

Availability:, 3 hours 30 minutes, type of service:, small group, it includes, it does not include, check our lima transfer services here, prices with discount, price per person, it varies by group size, ask for availability, 2 - 4 persons:, 40 usd (each), 5 - 8 persons:, 35 usd (each), 9 - 14 persons:, 30 usd (each), make your reservation here, how do i book this tour.

Please, fill up the reservation form with the required information (it only takes a couple of minutes). Then, it will take you to our platform to issue the corresponding payment (all kind of cards are accepted). Once it has been done, please send us a screenshot of it via WhatsApp or Email, we will respond you as soon as possible.

Remember that this is the only way to confirm your booking.

Trustable tour company run by locals

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Have you heard about the catacombs of San francisco?

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The Catacombs of Lima are crypts that served members of associations of Catholic faithful. In the historic center of Lima. They are considered, together with the church, as historical patrimony of the country. Its style is very similar to the Catacombs of Paris.

In the historic center of the capital is the Monumental Complex of San Francisco of Lima, one of the most representative jewels of the colonial architecture of Peru and one of the most artistic corners of the city, being the Catacombs the most visited place by both domestic and foreign tourists.

The buildings that are part of this set built mostly in the seventeenth century, are the churches of San Francisco, La Soledad and El Milagro, which with its cloisters, courtyards and annexes form what is called El Convento de San Francisco.

The construction of this convent began in 1546, the baroque style predominates and it was declared a Minor Basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1963. It is a place that gathers an artistic treasure of great value, accumulated throughout more than 400 years.

While Traveling and discovering historical places like this catacombs you may need to use one of our mobile phone plans for tourists to have a tourist SIM card . In order to understand and find new adventures, here in PeruSIM . 

Now let’s take a look at this very visited place, that is undoubtedly one of the good options to do in Lima:

What to do in Lima’s Catacombs

It all begins at the entrance to the church of San Francisco de Asis with its Lima baroque style and a monumental yellow. The entrance to the catacombs of Lima is made from the porter’s room, appreciating the artistic elements that make life inside the place, in which the floor tiles, paintings and sculptures of saints stand out.

The guide of the visit tells very well the origin of the architectural and religious elements, the regular work of the Franciscan friars and the rooms inside the convent of San Francisco.

Touring the catacombs

The tour of the catacombs of Lima is completely underground and lasts approximately 30 minutes. Admire the vaults built with brick, lime and stone, while in the lower part you can see how the bodies were arranged for better distribution.

It is estimated that in its time it must have housed at least 25,000 people. It is impressive to see how some bones such as skulls, tibias, femurs and fibulas are preserved. The catacombs of Lima have become a place of tourist and historical nature that has shaken more than one visitor.

Tourist route of the San Francisco Complex

The visitor will make a touristic route with the help of a guide, being the most important places:

La Portería

A very spacious place that preserves beautiful Sevillian tiles. There stands out a triptych of the Crucified Lord, a work made by Angelino Medoro.

Waiting Room

It houses an oil painting of San Buenaventura, whose author is also Angelino Medoro.

From a main staircase of the seventeenth century you can see a dome in the shape of a half orange, Mudejar style dating from 1625.

Chapter House

An old room that was used for the meetings of the Franciscans. It is a historical room, because in it the regular clergy signed the Act of Independence.

A beautiful baroque choir stalls in cedar from Lima can be seen in this place. Also, we observe a revolving lectern in cedar and baroque style, a piece of furniture with inclined board where large choral books are found.

Cloister 

It is a quadrilateral patio, surrounded by galleries in the form of semicircular arches, highlighting the wonderful set of Sevillian tiles from 1620 where each cloth shows different drawings.

In this environment approximately 25 thousand volumes are kept, among them an Atlas of the whole world, as well as a dictionary which is the first one edited by the Royal Academy.

Hall of Andas

It is a very small room where the platform of St. Jude Thaddeus made of silver embossed with a weight of 1,500 kilos and is carried by 30 people.

Museum – Pinacoteca Room

There is a collection of paintings of “The Passion of Christ” from the XVII century, which belong to the workshop of the famous Flemish painter Pedro Pablo Rubens.

Clementine Room

A room named in honor of Pope Clement X.

It is the old dining room of the Franciscans. There stands out the canvas of “The Last Supper” of the XVIII century.

It is the place where the Franciscans used to dress for the Masses. It highlights the drawers made of cedar wood, as well as the collection of paintings “The Apostleship” of the seventeenth century whose author is Francisco de Zurbarán.

The Catacombs

Until 1807 there were no cemeteries, people were buried in the basements of the churches. Burial fees were cheaper in the San Francisco Church. It is believed that these catacombs communicate through secret tunnels with the Cathedral and the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition.

The name Catacombs is due in allusion to the Roman catacombs. They are actually crypts, where by custom of the colonial times, benefactors and members of the clergy were buried at first, and later people of privileged and popular classes, a custom that lasted for more than 300 years.

Recommendations for the visit

• It is not recommended to visit with small children or strollers.
• Visiting it on a tour is the most recommended.
• If you do not go on a tour, the entrance fee is paid in cash.
• Photos and videos are not allowed according to the indications of the place.
• Catacombs of Lima: Monday to Sunday 10.00h to 20.00h.
• San Francisco de Asis Church: Monday to Sunday 7.00h to 11.00h and 16.00h to 20.00h.
• General admission 10 soles.
• Students 5 soles.
• Children 1 sol.
• Plazuela San Francisco (Corner of Jirones, Ancash and Lampa), downtown Lima, Peru.

How to get there

• Guided tour: Recommended way to get there.
• Metropolitano de Lima: Union Station, when leaving you must follow the directions of the place.
• Private cab: The area has high traffic, so we recommend not to take a cab at midday or late afternoon.

Nearby places

• Main Square.
• Lima Cathedral.
• House of Literature of Lima.
• Government Palace of Peru.

Finally, we know that you have to keep communication with your relatives and friends, that you need to be able to orient yourself in new cities, that you might need help with translation and that you might need to search for restaurants or hotels. That’s why with PeruSIM you can buy a SIM card including the data plan of your need without having to worry about high roaming costs .

Tarjeta SIM de Perú

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