Lima: History, Former Names & Timeline
Pizarro's "City of Kings", capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru and centre of Spanish rule in South America.
LimaExplore Lima in the interactive map
Former names of Lima
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1535 | Ciudad de los Reyes / Lima |
Timeline of Lima
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1535 | Pizarro founds Lima |
| 1551 | The University of San Marcos is founded, one of the oldest in the Americas |
| 1746 | An earthquake destroys Lima |
| 1821 | San Martín proclaims Peru's independence |
Who ruled Lima
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–401 BC | El Paraiso |
| 400 BC–2 BC | Manioc farmers |
| 1 BC–599 | Moche |
| 600–799 | Unclaimed / no data |
| 800–1299 | Huari Empire |
| 1300–1491 | Chimú Empire |
| 1492–1599 | Inca Empire |
| 1600–1879 | Viceroyalty of Peru |
| 1880–today | Peru |
Famous people of Lima
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| c. 1478 – 1541 | Francisco Pizarro | Spanish conquistador |
| 1778 – 1850 | José de San Martín | Leader of South American independence |
| 1783 – 1830 | Simón Bolívar | Liberator of South America |
Nearby cities
- Cusco · about 574 km
Further reading
Questions about Lima
What was Lima called in the past?
Lima has been known as Ciudad de los Reyes / Lima (from 1535). Its present name dates from 1535.
Which states have ruled Lima?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Lima lies within 8 different states: El Paraiso, Manioc farmers, Moche, Huari Empire, Chimú Empire, Inca Empire, Viceroyalty of Peru, Peru.
What are the key dates in the history of Lima?
1535: Pizarro founds Lima. 1551: The University of San Marcos is founded, one of the oldest in the Americas. 1746: An earthquake destroys Lima. 1821: San Martín proclaims Peru's independence.
Which famous people are connected with Lima?
Francisco Pizarro (spanish conquistador, c. 1478 – 1541); José de San Martín (leader of south american independence, 1778 – 1850); Simón Bolívar (liberator of south america, 1783 – 1830).
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.