Poor people, Historic buildings
September 19, 2007
I still haven’t gotten used to the fact that in Peru the poor are the ones who live in the oldest, most historic and most culturally valuable buildings in the country, and in some cases most of South America.
It’s still strange to me that some of the most run-down, rough and poorest neighbourhoods are also the oldest, and that they are falling apart and no-one seems to care.
What’s strange to Peruvians, especially those who live in these buildings that can be hundreds of years old, is that in most other countries these buildings would be snapped up by the richest of the rich and be worth millions if not tens of million of dollars.
Here though they are decaying, abandoned and occupied by those who have no-where else to go. Not being able to pay for maintenance of any kind, soon all these buildings will be gone.
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This street in the area of Lima known as the Barrios Altos used to house the wealthy upper-middle classes and would once have been busy with horses and carts ferrying the residents to and from the nearby city centre. Now it lays almost in ruins. If you continue walking straight ahead you will reach the Quinta Heeren, in the World Monument Fund’s top 100 most endangered buildings list. |
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Lima’s incredibly famous balconies, an integral part of the city’s history, are collapsing wherever you look. Originating from the Moorish customs of some Spanish immigrants, there’s nothing more important to preserve in Lima’s centre. Luckily, closer to the city’s Plaza de Armas, some of these balconies look destined to be saved as the Government and private investors finally managed to find funds to restore a few of the buildings. |
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A street leading to the river front would be prime real estate elsewhere, but not here, not far behind Peru’s congress building. This building may only be a hundred years old or so, but 5 minutes walk from the river and the centre of Government; it’s not immediately easy to see what could have happened to this area of the city. |
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In Rimac, what was once the centre of the city’s night life and an important cultural centre is now ravaged with poverty and crime. Long gone are the bustling streets of this always-working class neighbourhood the other side of the river – Lima’s wealthy now never come to party. Buildings as historic as those as in central Lima and older than those in the Barrios Altos fall apart on a daily basis. |
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More decay in Rimac. There’s probably no saving this old balcony. In fact, it’s near impossible to find a building that wouldn’t be legally condemned if inspected. |
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This beautiful old building, painted in my favourite Limeño colour, is also in Rimac. It’s doing all right for the moment but with no maintenance, how will it be holding up in 20 years? |
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When the rich pulled out of the central areas, those mentioned above, they moved to new up-and-coming areas such as Breña, 20 minutes walk away. But here too, buildings less than 100 years old are now abandoned, cursed with for-sale signs that will hang until the day they collapse. |
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No million-dollar price tag on this Breña building. When it collapsed not so long ago it was condemned. The 4 other buildings of the same age and design at the other end of the junctions are on the verge of going too. |
Comments (8)
It certainly seems a pity but on the other hand the gentrification seen in parts of London like Greenwich and Balham in South London has equally denied local people their inheritance as it has driven up prices for these now fashionable residences. There must be some middle way.
The organization Coprodeli runs a project called the rennovation of the Historical Center of Callao. It aims to renew the historical building in Antiguo Callao but still allow the dwellers to live and own residences. I believe Quito also has a historical building program in its old town center.
In the mid-1990’s, a renovation initiative of the historical city center took place, with banks and private firms giving money for the “Adopt a Balcony” campaign that restored 300 colonial balconies in the center, at a cost of about $5,000 each. Companies such as Backus, Johnson and Johnson and Telefonica de Peru all took part in the program
Thanks for the informative website. I have so many questions about Lima, and of course, Peru. So much of the history is difficult (for me) to find. I am still quite new here, and hope to find answers. Where are you doing your research?
This piece on Lima’s architectural heritage is interesting to me in particular. My husband spent part of his youth in the neighborhoods just a block or so off from the main square near the government palaces, and early on, in La Victoria. Now I understand why he loathes old buildings so much. His family was quite poor, and he was determined to get away from all that. He’s quite impressed with the changes and new structures going up all around the city. When I ask him about the historical heritage and the structures around the altos barrios and other areas, he says that they are better torn down and replaced with new. He doesn’t feel worth to many of those old buildings. I am trying to convince him otherwise, but I am sure that they remind him of some very difficult times in his life.
Personally, I would be greatly interested in seeing some serious historical restoration in many areas of Lima. It should be possible to mix old with new, especially as Limeno’s are also quite nostaligic, and seem to enjoy, with a certain melancholy, discussing the “bad” good old days.
A bit of irony, I sit here in a new apartment in Miraflores; and I look out my office window and see rather charming buildings that were probably built 1910-1920… I just wonder how long before those are plowed down for the next high-rise or shopping center…
Thank you again, I’ll be back to read more…
Sincerely, MaryJo
I’m glad you find my blog interesting, I hope you’ll keep coming back to read.
I’ve been in Lima for a couple of years and visited most of it. Most of what I know comes from paying close attention to TV and newspaper articles – that’s really the best you can do, be drip-fed this fascinating information. I wish there was a treasure trove somewhere.
I understand your husband’s view point, and also the point of view that says historic areas should be torn down and huge shopping malls like in the US and Europe should be built… that Peruvians deserve those things too. I think there has to be a balance. There is in London where I come from.
I do feel though that Peruvians have long been plagued by a lack of interest in their heritage, something that can be plainly seen in hundred or so archaeological sites that exist/existed throughout Lima and the state of colonial and republican buildings in Lima’s centre.
hi, iwould like to say jus two things, 1. the balconies were not made by spanish emigrans, were made during colony times(spanish colony in the americas), 2. i am peruvian and now i am studing far away from home (japan) , and you must know that is not like in your countries, peru have many problems more than just economical problems, i also woul like to see this part of my hometown restaurated, but i think this is not possible, many of this building, that were desing for 2 or 4 families, now have 10 or nore families living inside, and also this buildings are really old….so is no that easy.