Arequipa (;
Aymara and ), also known by its nicknames of ''Ciudad Blanca'' (Spanish for "White City") and ''León del Sur'' (Spanish for "South's Lion"), is a city in
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
and the capital of the eponymous
province
A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
and
department. It is the seat of the
Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru".
It is the second most populated city in Peru, after the capital
Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
, with an urban population of 1,296,278 inhabitants according to the 2017 national census. known for its colonial architecture and volcanic stone buildings, it is a major cultural and economic center.
Its metropolitan area integrates twenty-one districts, including the foundational central area, which it is the seat of the city government. The city had a nominal GDP of US$9,445 million, equivalent to US$10,277 per capita (US$18,610 per capita PPP) in 2015, making Arequipa the city with the second-highest economic activity in Peru.
Arequipa is also an important industrial and commercial center of Peru,
[Chanfreau, p. 40] and is considered as the second industrial city of the country. Within its industrial activity the manufactured products and the textile production of
wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal w ...
of camelids. The town maintains close commercial links with
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
,
Bolivia
Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
, and
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
and with the cities connected by the
South trainway, as well as with the port of
Matarani.
[Mincetur. «Export Investment Guide», p. 17]
The city was founded on 15 August 1540, under the name of "Beautiful Villa of Our Lady of the Assumption" in the name of Marquis
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro, Marquess of the Atabillos (; ; – 26 June 1541) was a Spanish ''conquistador'', best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.
Born in Trujillo, Cáceres, Trujillo, Spain, to a poor fam ...
. On 22 September 1541, the monarch
Carlos V ordered that it should be called the "City of Arequipa". During the
viceregal period, it acquired importance for its outstanding economic role,
and is characterized by the fidelismo towards the Spanish Crown,
[Linares Málaga, p. 115] which honored Arequipa with titles such as "Very Noble and Very Loyal".
In the Republican history of Peru, the city has been the focus of popular, civic and democratic rebellions. It has also been the cradle of notable intellectual, political and religious figures.
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. «Normative Compendium of the Historic Center of Arequipa», p. 63] In the Republican era, it was awarded the title of "Heroic city of the free people of Arequipa".
Its
historical center extends over an area of 332 hectares
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. «Normative Compendium of the Historic Center of Arequipa», p. 80] and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Historical heritage and monumental that it houses and its diverse scenic and cultural spaces turn it into a host city of national and international tourism, in its
historical center it highlights the religious architecture viceregal and republican product of mixture of Spanish and autochthonous characteristics,
that constituted an own stylistic school called "Arequipeña School"
whose influence arrived in
Potosí
Potosí, known as Villa Imperial de Potosí in the colonial period, is the capital city and a municipality of the Potosí Department, Department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the list of highest cities in the world, highest cities in the wo ...
(Bolivia).
[Municipalidad Provincial de Arequipa. «Compendio normativo del Centro Histórico de Arequipa», p. 6]
Etymology
An etymology supported by linguist
Rodolfo Cerrón-Palomino, already proposed by the 18th-century anthropologist
Ernst Middendorf, about the possible origin of the city's name comes from the
Aymara phrase ''ari'' ''qhipa'', where ''ari'' is "peak, mountain top" and ''qhipa'' "behind", altogether translating to "(place) behind the peak", referring to the nearby volcano
Misti.
A local tradition states that
Sapa Inca
The Sapa Inca (from ; ) was the monarch of the Inca Empire (''Tawantinsuyu'' "the region of the four rovinces), as well as ruler of the earlier Kingdom of Cusco and the later Neo-Inca State at Vilcabamba, Peru, Vilcabamba. While the origins ...
Mayta Cápac received a petition from his subjects to reach the valley of the River Chili. They asked him for permission to stay in the region as they were impressed by the beauty of the landscape and the mild climate. The Inca answered in Quechua ⟨Are quipay⟩ "Ari, qhipay" ("Yes, stay").
However, another similar tale states that when the first Europeans arrived to the valley, they pointed at the ground and asked for the name of the land. The local chief, not understanding the question, assumed they were asking for permission to sit down and gave the aforementioned affirmation, which sounded to the Spanish like "Arequipa".
Chroniclers
Blas Valera and
Inca Garcilaso de la Vega suggest that the name of the city comes from an ancient
Aymara phrase ⟨ari qquepan⟩ "ari q'ipa", supposedly meaning "sonorous trumpet", but in actuality something closer to "new conch trumpet", in reference to the sound produced from blowing into an empty conch-like seashell.
City symbols
Flag
Historians debate the origin of the crimson flag of the city. By 1940, several historians, most notably Francisco Mostajo and Victor M. Barriga, confirmed the royal origin of the crimson color of the flag, contrary to a blue banner which historian Victor Benavente hypothesized to be the original. This matches the color that local sports organizations use.
On 2 September 1940, Francisco Mostajo sent a letter to the Mayor of the City to explain his views regarding the color of the Banner of Arequipa, basing his claims on the '''Act of the Oath of King Carlos III'' ''" of'' 11 August 1788. On 23 September of the same year, Father Victor M. Barriga also published an important document in the Catholic newspaper ''El Deber'' that contains a description of the royal standard of Arequipa found in the ''"Act of 3 September 1789".''
Coat of arms
On 22 December 1540, King
Charles I of Spain
Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) fr ...
elevated Arequipa to the rank of
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
by royal decree, awarding it a coat of arms on which a mythical animal carries a banner inscribed with ''Karlos V'' or ''Del Rey.''
Anthem
The city anthem is ''Fourth Centenary Anthem''. Lyrics and music were composed by Emilio Pardo Valle and Aurelio Diaz Espinoza, who won a 1939 contest which the city council organize to dedicate a new anthem. Since then, the song has been sung at all important civic events held in the city.
History
Pre-Columbian era
The early inhabitants of the modern-day Arequipa area were nomads who relied on
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
as well as
hunting
Hunting is the Human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products (fur/hide (sk ...
and
gathering for survival. Later, pre-Inca cultures
domesticated
Domestication is a multi-generational mutualistic relationship in which an animal species, such as humans or leafcutter ants, takes over control and care of another species, such as sheep or fungi, to obtain from them a steady supply of reso ...
llamas and became
sedentary with the rise of
agriculture
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
.
Terraces used for crop irrigation were built on both sides of the
Chili River valley. The Yarabaya and Chimbe tribes settled in the city's current location, and together with the Cabana and Collagua tribes they developed an agrarian economy in the valley.
When the
Inca
The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...
Mayta Cápac arrived in the valley of the Chili river, he didn't build cities. Instead, through the
mitma
''Mitma'' was a policy of forced resettlement employed by the Inca Empire, Incas. It involved the forceful migration of groups of extended families or ethnic groups from their home territory to lands recently conquered by the Incas. The objective ...
policy, he forced the resettlement of his subjects to solidify control of existing territories, conduct intelligence duties, and strengthen border enclaves to control unconquered villages.
A Hispanic version of the events, detailed by chronicler
Garcilaso de la Vega, which has been described as historically inaccurate,
suggests that around 1170 Huayna Capac stopped in the Chili River valley with his army, calling the area ''Ari qepay'' which means "Let's stay here." Lands were then distributed among 3,000 families who founded communities such as Yanahuara, Cayma, Tiabaya, Socabaya, and Characato, all of which are districts in Arequipa today.
After
their conquest of Chile the Incas resettled part of the population thousands of kilometres away in
Aconcagua Valley.
Colonial era
On 15 August 1540, Spanish lieutenant
Garcí Manuel de Carbajal named the cluster of
Native American villages in the area "Villa de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora del Valle Hermoso de Arequipa".
[
] At the time of its foundation, Arequipa already had a city council because Carbajal also led relocation efforts for an existing coastal city named Villa Hermosa de Camana. The name was shortened to Villa Hermosa de Arequipa.
[
] Charles V of Germany and I of Spain gave the town a status of 'city' by Royal Decree on 22 September 1541.
[
] The relocation efforts were led by
Garcí Manuel de Carbajal, who was selected as the political authority for the foundation of the new town.
[
] Among the first public works carried out in the city are the Main Church, the City Hall, the bridge on the Chili River and the monastery of Nuestra Señora de Gracia.
[
]
The city became one of the most known and important in the
Viceroyalty of Peru
The Viceroyalty of Peru (), officially known as the Kingdom of Peru (), was a Monarchy of Spain, Spanish imperial provincial administrative district, created in 1542, that originally contained modern-day Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in ...
, being second from the capital,
Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
. A town council was organized soon after the city of founded, which was in charge of electing mayors and authorities for the city. The organization was broken during civil wars carried out by rebel groups, leading up to the
Peruvian War of Independence
The Peruvian War of Independence () was a series of military conflicts in Peru from 1809 to 1826 that resulted in the country's independence from the Spanish Empire. Part of the broader Spanish American wars of independence, it led to the dis ...
. Since 1553, by order of Viceroy Martín Enríquez de Almanza, the application of the system of insaculation and under this system a mayor "of neighbors" and another "of soldiers" are elected, who were later replaced by the mayor "of neighbors" and "of citizens."
The
Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa began construction in 1544 but was destroyed due to an earthquake in 1583. The cathedral was rebuilt in 1590 and in 1609,
Pope Paul V created the Arequpa Diocese. The cathedral was complete in 1950.
One aspect that distinguished Arequipa from other localities in Peru, and
Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
, in particular, was the explicit public adherence of the city's ruling classes to the Spanish Crown during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In the eighteenth century, with the occurrence of the different indigenous and mestizo movements and rebellions, Arequipa maintained a political balance and closed adherence to the directives coming from the kings of Spain, a phenomenon called "fidelismo" that had as notable defenders Francisco de Paula Quiroz, Mariano de Rivero, Nicólas Fernández, and José Miguel de Lastarria. In the uprising of
Túpac Amaru II he confronted the city with a column of troops that he armed at his expense, and helped destroy the siege of the city of
La Paz
La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Aymara language, Aymara: Chuqi Yapu ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With 755,732 residents as of 2024, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities by populati ...
, which earns it the qualification of "Restoration Province of the Collao". For these services,
King Charles IV issued a Royal Decree in the city of San Lorenzo on 5 December 1895, in which he ordered her to be called and titled Fidelísima.
Independence

Since the Spanish founding of Arequipa, the mostly Spanish population retained heavy loyalty to the Spanish crown, a phenomenon called ''fidelismo.''
[
] Among its most notable proponents were Francisco de Paula Quiroz, Mariano de Rivero, Nicolás Fernández, and José Miguel de Lastarria.
[
] In 1805, the Spanish Monarchy gave the city the title of ''Faithful'' by Royal Charter.
[
] Because of its distance from other Peruvian cities, Arequipa was not heavily influenced by libertarian movements and was mostly loyal to the
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire, sometimes referred to as the Hispanic Monarchy (political entity), Hispanic Monarchy or the Catholic Monarchy, was a colonial empire that existed between 1492 and 1976. In conjunction with the Portuguese Empire, it ushered ...
.
In 1814,
Mateo Pumacahua's pro-independence troops only briefly occupied Arequipa. The city would remain under Spanish control until the Battle of Ayacucho (1824), due to struggles for local political power.
[
]
Republican era
19th century
After independence was proclaimed, the area of the Intendancy of Arequipa was established as a department by a decree of 26 May 1822. During the Congress of 1826 and the Constituent Assembly of 1827, Javier de Luna Pizarro, from Arequipa and Loreto, assumed the presidency. Under
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24July 178317December 1830) was a Venezuelan statesman and military officer who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bol ...
, Arequipa established itself as a staunch opponent of the dictatorial tendencies of the Liberator after his triumph at
Ayacucho. Prominent Arequipeños such as Domingo Tristán, Benito Lazo and Gualberto Valdivia openly spoke out against the Bolivarian constitution for life. It was during this period that the Academia Lauretana promoted the creation of the Colegio Nacional de la Independencia Americana and the
National University of San Agustín in 1827.
Arequipa's strategic location at the crossroads of the colonial silver trade route and that of the post-independence wool trade route allowed the city to emerge as an administrative, commercial, and industrial hub.
In the decade following Peru's 1821 declaration of independence from Spain, society in Arequipa and Peru at-large was in transition.
Thus, Arequipa not only became the birthplace of notable political figures
but also the site of key political movements
that helped defend the legal and economic stability of the city;
thus elevating Arequipa to a status second only to its rival city and the capital, Lima.
On 13 January 1835, President
Luis José de Orbegoso moved his government from Lima to Arequipa by presidential decree.
[
] Meanwhile, in Lima, General
Felipe Santiago Salaverry named himself Supreme Chief of the Republic, arguing that the country was leaderless as Orbegoso was outside the capital.
[ Decree assuming command of the Republic General Felipe Santiago Salaverry, 25 February 1835.
] Orbegoso then sought support from Bolivian president
Andrés de Santa Cruz against the claims of
Salaverry. On 4 February 1836, Salaverry's Army of Reunification won a battle at Uchumayo. However, three days later in Socabaya, Salaverry surrendered to
Santa Cruz[
] On 18 February 1836, Salaverry and his nine officers were shot in the main square of the city.
[
]
upCalle Mercaderes next to the Cathedral in 1926
After expressing their rejection to the
Peru–Bolivian Confederation
The Peru–Bolivian Confederation () was a short-lived state that existed in South America between 1836 and 1839. The country was a loose confederation made up of three states: North Peru and South Peru—states that arose from the division of th ...
, the Chilean government sent a military expedition that arrived in Arequipa on 12 October 1837.
[
] To avoid military conflict, negotiations led to a peace treaty signing in Paucarpata, a small town near Arequipa on 17 November 1837.
In the following years, the city was the site of uprisings and successive military coups, which ended with the victory of forces led by
Miguel de San Román against the army of
Manuel Ignacio de Vivanco in the Battle of Paucarpata on 29 June 1857.
Around this time, Arequipa gained prominence as a center of business and trade,
[
] focused in agricultural products and the production of wool, sometimes through exploitation of peasants.
[
][
]

On 31 August 1882, following the occupation of Lima during the
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific (), also known by War of the Pacific#Etymology, multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Treaty of Defensive Alliance (Bolivia–Peru), Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884. Fought over Atacama Desert ...
, President
Lizardo Montero Flores arrived in Arequipa and declared it the capital of Peru, which changed back to Lima after its occupation ended in 1823.
On 22 April 1883, Montero installed a National Congress
[
] which was located at Independence College, also counting military support from a local army
[
] and important financial support from quotas and taxes coming from the economic elite and the southern agricultural districts.
However, on 25 October 1883, a popular uprising overthrew the government of President Montero, who managed to escape to
La Paz
La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Aymara language, Aymara: Chuqi Yapu ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With 755,732 residents as of 2024, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities by populati ...
. Four days later, with support from city authorities, Chilean troops occupied Arequipa until August 1884.
Montero's government had a "National Congress" installed on 22 April 1883 in the cloisters of the Colegio Independencia and the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín, a military backing made up of all males between the ages of 20 and 60They made up an army of 4,000 men and 8,000 to 10,000 National Guardsmenand significant economic support based on the quotas and expenditures imposed on both the economic elite and the various southern agricultural districts.
20th century
The Republican Era brought many improvements to the city's infrastructure and economy. The Southern Railroad built by
Henry Meiggs connected Arequipa with the port city of Mollendo in 1871 and with
Cuzco and
Juliaca in 1876. In 1908, the first telegraph system in the Arequipa region connected
Mollendo, Arequipa and Vitor. In 1914, the city built its first drinking water supply system as well as an aqueduct. In 1940, the city's international airport,
Rodríguez Ballón International Airport, named after the Peruvian pilot from Arequipa, Rodríguez Ballón, was opened.
Politically, Arequipa was no stranger to the tumults of the century. On 22 August 1930,
Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro assumed control, forcing the departure of President
Augusto B. Leguía. In a similar twist, on 27 October 1948, General Manuel A. Odría established a junta government after deposing President José Luis Bustamante y Rivero. But beyond the military movements, Arequipa also shone as a cradle of civic resistance. Two demonstrations against the Odría regime are especially noteworthy: one in June 1950 and the other that dominated the scene in December 1955.
21st century

In 2000, the historic center of Arequipa was declared a
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
. However, on 23 June 2001, an
8.4-magnitude earthquake damaged several historical buildings. This resulted in more precautions and safety measures to be conducted, to ensure the safety of the city and its history. Around the 2010s, the city experienced a large economic growth, partially due to its mining sector, being near
copper
Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
reserves. The city has also tackled socio-environmental challenges, such as water management and urban planning. Arequipa's Urban Development Plan 2025 is a reflection of these efforts. The urban transport system has evolved, including the modernization of buses. Sustainable mobility has also been a concern, with the incorporation of electric buses and the promotion of the use of non-motorized vehicles.
Geography
Location
The city is located at an average elevation of above sea level, with the lowest part of the city at above sea level in the area called Huayco
Uchumayo while the highest is located at above sea level.
The central part of the city is split by the Chili River from north to south; to the north and east of Arequipa are the Andes Mountains, while to the south and west are sub-ranges of the Andes. The valley of Arequipa strategically links the coastal and highland regions of southern Peru.
A series of volcanic cones dominates the city skyline –
Misti and the extinct volcanic groups
Pichu Pichu and
Chachani. The western slopes of the Andes feature thick, extensive layers of volcanic lava.
[Regional Government of Arequipa. "Analysis of the state and of the determinants of health", p. 19.]
Climate
The climate of the city is predominantly dry in
winter
Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year in temperate and polar climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Dif ...
,
autumn
Autumn, also known as fall (especially in US & Canada), is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southern Hemisphe ...
and
spring due to low atmospheric humidity and a level of precipitation corresponding to that of a
desert climate
The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(''BWk'', according to the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
). On average, Arequipa has 300 days of sunshine each year. Typically, temperatures neither exceed nor drop below . The wet season lasts from December to March and is marked by the presence of clouds in the afternoon and low rainfall. In winter (June and July), the temperature drops to an average of .
The average relative humidity is 46%, with an average high of 70% in the summer season and a minimum average of 27% during autumn, winter and spring, according to data from the Goyeneche Hospital weather station.
The mountainous topography surrounding the Chili River valley affects low-pressure fronts and local winds. These winds occur mainly in the early morning and the evening. Mountain breezes typically flow northeast, and valley breezes typically flow southwest. Wind velocity fluctuates between 1.5 m/s and 2.5 m/s.
Solar radiation
Solar radiation
Sunlight is the portion of the electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by the Sun (i.e. solar radiation) and received by the Earth, in particular the visible light perceptible to the human eye as well as invisible infrared (typically p ...
in Arequipa ranges from 850 to 950 ''W/m
2'' (watts per square meter), one of the highest levels of radiation in South America and the highest recorded in Peru. Arequipa's proximity to the
Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert () is a desert plateau located on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast of South America, in the north of Chile. Stretching over a strip of land west of the Andes Mountains, it covers an area of , which increases to if the barre ...
and
pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...
contribute to the higher levels of radiation.
[National Environmental Council. "To clear the air", p. 21.]
Cityscape
On 15 August 1540, the Spanish plan for Arequipa resembled a checkerboard made of fifty-six blocks, each one of "400 Castilian feet" (111.40 meters) per side.
Each block consisted of four or eight land lots, which were distributed according to the status of the new owners. Over time, some religious institutions would occupy an entire block as did the Convent of Santa Catalina and the San Francisco Monastery.
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 12.]
Urban expansion occurred at the expense of the countryside, and this phenomenon has accelerated in recent decades. Arequipa expanded east of the historic center, and new avenues such as Parra Boulevard and Siglo Veinte Avenue were built to connect the historic center with newer neighborhoods, such as Vallecito (developed in the 1940s)
or with already existing towns like Yanahuara, which were absorbed by the city's expansion. Shantytowns appeared in the districts of Miraflores, Barrio Obrero, and Jacinto Ibanez. A permanent marketplace was built in a vacant lot previously occupied by the San Camilo Monastery. The Goyeneche Hospital was built between 1905 and 1910. Two theaters (Municipal and Ateneo), a hotel (Hotel de Turistas), a public library and the campus of San Agustin University were other city developments of the early 20th century. Housing projects and new neighborhoods were also built, such as Cuarto Centenario and Selva Alegre.
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 14.]
In the late 1950s, the city rapidly grew, especially in peripheral areas.
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 15.] Around this time, industrial operations located in areas of Barrio del Solar and Barrio Obrero,
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 24.] near the city center, moved outwards to the industrial zone (Parque Industrial), causing the former industrial areas to become commercial zones.
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 6.] Some educational institutions, such as the National University of San Agustin, moved out of the city center to more spacious land lots in peripheral areas to accommodate their growing facilities. Residential zones also developed in peripheral suburbs, causing the main function of the city center to be a tourist and business district.
Administrative division
The metropolitan area of Arequipa consists of 19 districts,
with a total area of of which are distinctly urban.
Demographics

According to the 2007
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
, 70% of the Department of Arequipa's total population and 90% of its urban population lives in Arequipa city proper. The city is the second most populous in Peru after the capital, Lima.
In an early census in 1796, Arequipa had a population of 37,241, of which 22,207 (59.6%) were Spaniards, 5,929 (15.9%) were Native Americans, 4,908 (13.2%) were
mestizo
( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturall ...
s, 2,487 (6.7%) were
castizos, and 1,710 (4.6%) were Africans.
Population growth accelerated from 1.1% growth between 1876 and 1917 to 3.3% growth between 1940 and 1960.
The city's population increased from 80,000 in 1940 to 158,000 in 1961.
An earthquake in 1958 and a drought in the
Altiplano
The Altiplano (Spanish language, Spanish for "high plain"), Collao (Quechuan languages, Quechua and Aymara language, Aymara: Qullaw, meaning "place of the Qulla people, Qulla") or Andean Plateau, in west-central South America, is the most extens ...
caused a rise in migration, urbanization, and peripheral city growth (suburbs and shantytowns) that continues to this day.
The rearrangement and improvement of urban space after the earthquakes also helped cause Arequipa's population to grow twofold in a decade.
The population increased from 158,000 in 1961 to 309,000 in 1972 to almost 500,000 in 1983. Urban development of previously rural areas incorporated subsistence farming into the urban way of life.
Evolution of the population of Arequipa in the period between 1796 and 2017
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bar:1981 text:1981
bar:1993 text:1993
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bar:1804 from:0 till: 37148
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bar:1876 from:0 till: 30932
bar:1917 from:0 till: 44209
bar:1940 from:0 till: 80947
bar:1961 from:0 till: 158685
bar:1972 from:0 till: 309094
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bar:1876 at: 30932 fontsize:s text: 30 932 shift:(-10,5)
bar:1917 at: 80947 fontsize:s text: 44 209 shift:(-10,5)
bar:1940 at: 80947 fontsize:s text: 80 947 shift:(-10,5)
bar:1961 at: 158685 fontsize:s text: 158 685 shift:(-10,5)
bar:1972 at: 309094 fontsize:s text: 309 094 shift:(-10,5)
bar:1981 at: 446942 fontsize:s text: 446 942 shift:(-15,5)
bar:1993 at: 619156 fontsize:s text: 619 156 shift:(-15,5)
bar:2007a at: 749291 fontsize:s text: 749 291 shift:(-15,5)
bar:2017 at: 852807 fontsize:s text: 1 008 290 shift:(-15,5)
Sources: Population Census 1804 (Gil de Toboada) Viceroyalty of Peru in 1812, Census of inhabitants of Peru (1876), Census of the City of Arequipa in 1917 INEI, INEI 2012 population estimate
Economy
74.2% of the Department of Arequipa's GDP is generated by the city of Arequipa, according to studies by the National University of San Agustin. The Department of Arequipa's GDP is the second highest in Peru, after that of the
Department of Lima. From 2003 to 2008, Arequipa was the "city with the greatest economic growth in Latin America" with a 66.1% increase in GDP per capita, according to a 2009 report of "America Economia".
According to a government survey, Arequipa has the largest "workforce" in Peru with 625,547 people, and an economically active population (PEA) which amounts to 376,764 people having an employment rate similar to the national average with an average monthly income of 928 soles. The main economic sectors for the economically active population are manufacturing (12.9%), trade (23%), and non-personal services (36.6%). The unemployment rate in the Arequipa metropolitan area is 8%,
compared to only 5% unemployment in Arequipa city proper.
In Arequipa, tourism is a vital contributor to the local economy, as the city is the third most visited city in the country after Cusco and
Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
.
In 2010, Arequipa received a total of 1.395 million visitors according to the
Ministry of Commerce and Tourism.
Since the 20th century, many factories tied to the primary sector, especially textiles and agriculture, have emerged. Arequipa's serves as an important commercial and industrial hub in the southern Andes in Peru, linking the
coast
A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
to the mountains.
[Metropolitan Strategic Plan of Arequipa, Arequipa Economics](_blank)
Large-scale mining also contributes to the city's economy; as is the case of Cerro Verde,
a mining site established in 1976 near the Arequipa valley.
[Centrum. Cerro Verde Financial Reports, p. 4.]
The city's industrial sector has the largest nationwide diversification
and is the second most industrialized city of Peru.
After two major earthquakes in 1958 and 1960, with the law of the "Rehabilitation and Development Board of Arequipa", an industrial complex was built with one of the first factories being the Yura cement factory (Cementos Yura).

This first industrial complex named Parque Industrial de Arequipa now has a great diversity of factories ranging from consumer-related industries (food and beverages) and construction (PVC, cement, and steel) to chemical and export products (textile companies).
Among the most important companies are Alicorp SAA, Processed Foods SA, Laive, La Iberica, Manuel Muñoz Najar, Bin Pan SA, Consorcio Industrial Arequipa SA, Omniagro, Backus & Johnston, Corporación Aceros Arequipa, Francky and Ricky, Michell & Cia, and IncaTops.
Moreover, the city's industrial sector has expanded and other industrial complexes have emerged such as Parque Industrial APIMA (developed for small businesses),
Parque Industrial Rio Seco and industrial areas in the Alfonso Ugarte Ave, Uchumayo Road and the northern part of the city.
On 15 August 1959, the first television transmission in the city of Arequipa was broadcast at the Cultural Hall of the National University of San Agustin. Businessman Jack Dwyre conducted the broadcast through his new company Televisora Sur Peruana in partnership with
San Agustin National University as Channel 2 (now TV UNSA).
The aforementioned university became one of the first in South America to operate a public TV station from inside its campus.
Since then, two other public television stations began to operate in Arequipa—Radio Television Continental (Channel 6) in 1962 and Compañía de Radiodifusión Arequipa (Channel 8) in 1987 (broadcasting as ATV Sur since 2012).
Among the newspapers that are printed in the city, ''El Pueblo'' is the oldest in Arequipa (published since 1 January 1905) and the second oldest in the country. Writers such as Percy Gibson and Alberto Hidalgo as well as politicians like Hector Cornejo Chavez, Mario Polar Ugarteche and Alfonso Montesinos started their careers working for this newspaper.
Education
Primary and secondary education
In 2007, the city of Arequipa had 20,595 students at pre-schools or Kindergartens, 143,543 students at elementary schools and 219,305 at high schools. Among the oldest and most prestigious schools in the city are Independencia Americana School, San Francisco de Asis School, Don Bosco School, La Salle School and San Jose School.
Colegio Max Uhle is a German international school in Arequipa.
Higher education

Arequipa has more than 15 universities, nine of them with headquarters in the city and one of them being public (Universidad Nacional San Agustin). The other six are local branches of private and public universities of Peru and Chile. In 2007, a total of 70,894 students were enrolled in universities and 56,087 students were enrolled in colleges or technical institutes.
Two institutions of higher education in Arequipa were founded more than a century ago. Seminario de San Jeronimo, a center of religious formation, has been in operation since 1622. While
San Agustin National University (Universidad Nacional San Agustin) was founded on 11 November 1828
it can trace its origins back to the ''Academia Lauretana de Artes y Sciencias,'' a college founded in 1821.
The first private university established in the city wa
Universidad Catolica Santa Maria and the establishment of this university was followed by Universidad Católica San Pablo and Universidad San Francisco. Additionally, important local branches from universities outside the region, such as
National University of San Marcos
The National University of San Marcos (, UNMSM) is a public university, public research university located in Lima, the capital of Peru. In the Americas, it is the first officially established (Privilege (legal ethics), privilege by Charles V, ...
,
Technological University of Peru, Universidad Los Angeles de Chimbote and Universidad del Mar (Chile) among others, are located in the city.
Society and Culture
Regionalism
Arequipa, unlike other big Peruvian cities with mestizo and indigenous features, has been labeled as a "Spanish island in an indigenous sea" and because of its status as a "natural oasis".
Culture in Arequipa is marked by the regionalism of its inhabitants; in fact, unlike other regional sentiments within Peru, Arequipa's regionalism was connected to the fight against centralism. This proud
regionalism, expressed in numerous insurrections or revolutions, has earned the city the nickname "Ciudad Caudillo" (Warlord City). As Peruvian historian
Jorge Basadre argued, "Arequipa is a gun pointed at the heart of Lima", alluding to the rivalry between the two cities.
Language
An element of culture in Arequipa City is its Spanish dialect which incorporates a distinctive rhythmic way of speaking, which usually elongates the last vowel of the final word in each sentence. A distinctive feature of this dialect is the "
voseo
In Spanish grammar, () is the use of as a grammatical person, second-person grammatical number, singular pronoun, along with its associated verbal forms, in certain regions where the language is spoken. In those regions it replaces , i.e. th ...
",
that is, the use in Spanish language of the pronoun 'vos' to replace the use of 'tú' or 'usted' (all corresponding to the English 'you').
In Peru, the voseo is sometimes heard only in rural areas except in Arequipa, where that way of speaking is heard in both rural and urban areas.
Another dialect from the city surroundings, called ''
loncco
Loncco was the name given to the peasants who lived in the rural area surrounding the city of Arequipa, Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia ...
'', has been largely lost due to migration from other provinces and the standardization of Spanish language by the media. However, there are contests in schools which promote the writing of poems in the loncco dialect.
Literature
Literature in Arequipa has a long tradition and many of the city's writers have gained national and international recognition. During the Spanish colonial period, only the works of Lorenzo de Llamosas survived. In the nineteenth century, the poetry and fables of
Mariano Melgar incorporated patriotic and romantic themes. Other notable writers of Arequipa in that century are Benito Bonifaz,
Jorge Polar and
María Nieves y Bustamante, among others. In the twentieth century,
Mario Vargas Llosa
Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquess of Vargas Llosa (28 March 1936 – 13 April 2025) was a Peruvian novelist, journalist, essayist and politician. Vargas Llosa was one of the most significant Latin American novelists and essayists a ...
is the most recognized of the Arequipan writers in Peru and abroad, winner of
Nobel Prize in Literature
The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning ''for'' Literature (), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, "in ...
in 2010, author of novels like ''
The Green House'' (1966), ''
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter'' (1977), among others. Other writers of the 20th century were the poets Percy Gibson, Cesar Rodriguez Atahualpa, and Oswaldo Reynoso.
Art and photography
Some of the most detailed photographic records of 19th- and 20th-century Peru are found in the works of the
Vargas Brothers Art Studio. Open from 1912 to 1958, the studio captured more diversity of Peruvian culture than any other photography studio at the time.
Most known for their nocturnals and portrait photography of women, their photographic archive, which is privately held by descendants of the studio's founders and brothers Carlos and Miguel Vargas, have been restored and digitized. Many international showings of their works, have brought recognition to the studio and the way of life their images have preserved.
Museums
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Arequipa's rich history and art is showcased in its many museums. These include the Museum of the cathedral; the Museum of Contemporary Art (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo) which is devoted to painting and photography collections from 1900 onwards, especially works by Peruvian artists like Carlos Vargas,
Martín Chambi,
Fernando de Szyszlo,
Venancio Shinki and many others;
the Regional Museum of the Central Reserve Bank (Museo Regional del Banco Central de Reserva) which houses pre-Columbian and colonial art pieces, plus a collection of colonial and republican coins and banknotes; the Santa Maria University Museum of Archaeology and the Andean Sanctuaries Museum (Museo Santuarios Andinos), both belonging to Santa Maria Catholic University, have an important collection of archaeological pieces mainly from local pre-Columbian cultures (especially the latter, which houses Inca mummies); the San Agustin University Museum of Archaeology;
the Municipal Museum of Arequipa; and others.
File:Museo de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa.jpg, The Universidad Nacional de San Agustín Museum, part of the National University of San Agustín.
File:Museo de Arte Contemporaneo - panoramio.jpg, One of the halls of Arequipa's Museum of Contemporary Art
File:Portada del museo de Santuarios andinos, Arequipa.jpg, Entrance of the Museum of Andean Sanctuaries, famous for housing the girl sacrificed in the Ampato volcano, as well as various Incan artifacts.
Research, academic and cultural institutions
Among the scientists who were born and/or conducted their research in Arequipa are
Pedro Paulet, a pioneer scientist on rocket propulsion, as well as
Mariano Eduardo de Rivero y Ustariz, a geologist and politician. One of the most important research facilities in the city was the Astronomical Observatory of Carmen Alto, which
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
operated from 1891 to 1927, when the university moved its astronomical operations to South Africa.
Cultural events and activities are mostly organized by the main universities of the city: San Agustin National University and Santa Maria Catholic University,
and also by cultural organizations such as the
Alliance Française, the Peruvian Center for German Culture and the Peruvian North American Cultural Center. Since the 1990s banking institutions showed great interest in promoting and managing cultural activities; while private companies joined this movement by sponsoring various projects.
Music
Music is also an important part of cultural life in Arequipa. Since the last years of the Spanish colonial period, there were important academic composers like
Mariano Melgar (who was best known as a poet), Pedro Jiménez Tirado April and Florentino Diaz, all of them placing Arequipa as one of the Peruvian cities with a renowned musical scene.
The Symphonic Orchestra of Arequipa, created in 1939, contributes to keep classical and vernacular music as part of the city's culture. As in the rest of the country, in Arequipa, many traditional music styles like
vals criollo (or Peruvian waltz),
yaravi (or harawi) and
huayno are still performed.
Cuisine

Regional cuisine shows a great diversity with as many as 194 typical dishes.
The cuisine of the city mixes recipes from European and Andean cultures,
because many dishes were created to satisfy the taste of the Spanish settlers in Arequipa.
As a curiosity, many restaurants feature a special main course according to each day of the week: ''chaque'' on Mondays, ''chairo'' on Tuesdays, ''chochoca'' on Wednesdays, ''chupe colorado'' on Thursdays, ''chupe de viernes'' on Fridays, ''puchero'' or ''timpusca'' on Saturdays and ''caldo blanco'' or ''pebre de lomos'' on Sundays.
Among the most popular local dishes are ''chupe de camarones'' (shrimp soup), ''ocopa arequipeña'', ''rocoto relleno'', ''cuy chactado'' (fried guinea pig), ''locro de pecho'', etc.; while typical desserts are: ''queso helado'' (ice cream made of milk, cinnamon and coconut), ''buñuelos'', ''dulces de convento'' and ''chocolates''. Besides local wines and beers, two typical beverages are ''
chicha de guinapo'' a dark type of corn grown only locally, and ''
anisado'' (anise liqueur).
Rocoto relleno is the most popular dish from Arequipa and one of Peru's most famous. Certain types of meat such as beef or chicken and usually stuffed in along with onions, melted cheese, cream or potatoes. It is a Peruvian version of
Stuffed peppers but instead of using sweet peppers, it uses
Rocoto peppers, which are grown in Peru. Rocoto is mostly grown in Arequipa and is usually served as a paste or raw. It is 10 times spicier than regular
Jalapeños. The
Incans used to cultivate and prepare the peppers.
Sport

Association football (or soccer) is the most popular sport in Arequipa, with the largest and most popular being
FBC Melgar of the
Peruvian First Division, winning its first national championship in 1981 and second in 2015.
Multiple sporting events have been held in the city, such as the
2004 Copa América,
2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
and future
2025 South American Under-20 Championships
City rivals'
FBC White Star's
women's football department of the club won the national league in 2009. Other teams in the city are
Sportivo Huracán,
FBC Aurora,
FBC Piérola,
Senati FBC,
IDUNSA and the now-defunct
Total Clean FBC.
The main stadiums in the city (also used for other events) are:
Virgen de Chapi Stadium (property of San Agustin National University),
Mariano Melgar Stadium, Los Palitos Stadium and Umacollo Stadium. Virgin de Chapi Stadium, also known as Stadium of the UNSA, is the second largest stadium in Peru, with a capacity of 60,370.
Sights and attractions
The Old Town
In its 332 hectares
has 5817 properties
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 39.] of which 500 are categorized as heritage properties, generally have been built in the nineteenth century, on the site of earlier colonial buildings destroyed by the earthquake of 1868. The houses, usually made in
ashlar
Ashlar () is a cut and dressed rock (geology), stone, worked using a chisel to achieve a specific form, typically rectangular in shape. The term can also refer to a structure built from such stones.
Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, a ...
, are characterized by semi-circular arches and vaulted ceilings. Ashlar structures always have thick walls: 1 to 1.5 meters for rooms, 2 meters for churches. Through the use of lime mortar, the walls are shown homogeneous image that is reinforced with brick vaults or ashlar that are justified in the rarity of the wood.
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 40.]
In the city is a stylistic school called "School Arequipa" of crucial importance in the region and whose influence reached Potosi. This school is characterized by profuse decoration planiform textilográfica and the open spaces and the design and size of their covers, which differ in these aspects of Cuzco and Lima covers.
The architecture in the historic center is characterized by the prominence of ashlar, the use of which begins in the last third of the 16th century. This volcanic stone, white or pink exceptionally soft, lightweight, and weatherproof, emerged as a seismic structural solution. The ashlar was unable to take the early years, except for the covers of the main church and some houses. The original city was built with adobe, masonry, sticks and straw roofs or mud pie. Houses of this type were made until the nineteenth century and were common in the eighteenth century, some remain in the original district of San Lazaro. Later came the brick and tile houses with tile found in the Monastery of Santa Catalina. The cataclysm of 1582 settled these systems and raised the earthquake reconstruction. Then came the ashlar as prime structural solution.
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 18.]
Major earthquakes mark milestones in the formation of Arequipa architecture. Five significant periods are:
* Founding and village (1540–1582),
* Splendor of Baroque (1582–1784),
* Rococo and Neoclassical Reviews (1784–1868),
* Empiricism and modernizing
* Evocations neo colonial (1868–1960) and
* Contemporary.
Religious monuments
In historical existence is accounted for 14 churches or temples, four chapels, five convents and 3 monasteries,
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 65.] among the monuments of this type include:
*
Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa
170px, Church of Yanahuara
It is the most important neoclassical ediicio Peru, product reconstruction started in 1844 and finished three years later and led by architect Lucas Poblete.
[UNESCO. History of Humanity, p. 221.] Its interior is faced with trs ships with one of the side walls of the main square which fills a side façade is divided by Corinthian columns.
*
Church of La Compañía
It is the monument maximum Arequipeña School,
is one of the most splendid creations of Peruvian Baroque and starting point of this school,
[Arellano, p. 256.] in its façade has an inscription inscribed with the year 1698 which shows that the beginning of the eighteenth century this regional art had reached its peak, therein lies a more exaggerated baroque altar.
*
Convent of Santa Catalina
*
Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, Arequipa
Civil-public monuments
There are 10 buildings that origin were engaged in civic purposes, such as Phoenix theaters. and the Municipal Theatre, the Goyeneche Hospital and the Hospital of Priests of St. Peter, bridges Bolognesi and Grau, the Instituto Chavez de la Rosa, Railway Station, Mercado San Camilo and the convento de Santa Catalina.
Military monuments
The historic center of Arequipa lacked a wall as we had the city of Lima, they persist despite military monuments as Twentieth Century Prison and Penal Fundo El Fierro women.
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 66.]
Civil-domestic monuments
Within the historic center there are 246 houses that are declared monument households.
This type of construction is characterized by thick solid walls, with arches and domes similar to those built in the temples and religious monasteries giving the same robustness and monumentality to these constructions built from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and generally used for housing.
* Casa del Moral
* Goyeneche Palace
* Tristan del Pozo House
* Mint
* Casona Ugarte
* House Iriberry
* House Arrospide
* Casa del Alferez Flowers
* Casona del Corregidor Maldonado
* Casa del Corregidor April and Maldonado
* Casona Goyeneche
* House of Pastor
* Bronze Tambo
* Tambo of the Loggerhead
* Tambo de Ruelas
Suburbs

* Yanahuara Villa Hermosa, located from the city, famous for its churches built in Andalusian style alleys which is Yanahuara Monumental Zone
Cultural Heritage of the Nation.
* Cayma Villa, from the centre of town. Place known for its taverns and where there is a seventeenth-century church. With a viewpoint which affords a view of Arequipa.
* The thermal baths of Yura, . Its waters come from inside the volcano Chachani. Also, near the city are the medicinal sources of Jesus and Socosani.
* Sabandía natural valley with most crystalline waters in the region. Here is the Sabandía mill was built and in operation since the eighteenth century.
* The farm Sachaca or the Founder's Mansion, is from the city. Built on the river Socabaya, is a residence that belonged to different owners of historic renown in Peru but became especially known for being one of the family properties principales Goyeneche. This piece of architecture is now open to the public.
Parks and recreation

Parks and squares cover 26 hectares of urban parks in and around the historic centre; among the most notable areas are:
* ''Plaza de Armas''
* ''Plaza San Francisco''
* ''Parque Grau''
* ''Parque 28 de Febrero''
* ''Plaza Melgar''
* ''Parque Duhamel''
* ''Plaza 15 de Agosto''
* ''Plaza España''
* ''Plaza Santa Teresa''
* ''Plaza Independencia''
* ''Parque San Lazaro''
* ''Parque Selva Alegre''
* ''Plaza San Antonio''
There are 22 hectares of countryside within this historic area.
[Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. "Diagnosis of the historic center of Arequipa", p. 51.]
Other notable urban green areas in the city are:
* Parque Ecològico Alto Selva Alegre. Located in the eastern part of the city, in Selva Alegre District, next to Chili River. The park and its surrounding areas occupy an area of 1008 hectares
of which 460 hectares covering only the ecological park.
A part of the park is located in the buffer zone of the National Reserve of Salinas Aguada Blanca.
* Fundo Paraíso. Is part of Parque Selva Alegre and occupies an area of 67 hectares
* Chilina Valley countryside. Has an area of 151 hectares
* Chilpinilla Metropolitan Park. 14 hectares
Infrastructure
Healthcare

As the administrative and economic capital of the Arequipa Region, the city has the largest number of both public and private healthcare centers which total 680 establishments.
[National Institute of Statistics and Information]
Health Facilities
Public health institutions that are present in the city are:
* Social Security Hospitals
** Edmundo Escomel (level I hospital)
** Policlínico Metropolitano
** Yanahuara (level III hospital)
** Carlos Seguin National Hospital (level IV hospital)
** Complejo de Prestaciones Sociales
* Ministry of Health (MINSA)
[Ministry of Health](_blank)
, accessed 29 June 2008
** Honorio Delgado Regional Hospital
** Goyeneche Hospital
* National Institute of Neoplasic Diseases (INEN):
** Regional Institute of Neoplasic Diseases
Water supply
The water supply in Arequipa varies by neighborhood in the city.
Many water supply interruptions are thought to be caused by repairs needed as the underground tube system ages.
[ Water supply interruptions are perceived as longer in the urban periphery.][ In this area inhabitants also report a higher incidence of unnotified water supply interruptions.][
]
Transport
Road
Arequipa's urban road network has a radiocentric structure with four main avenues: Avenida Ejército, Avenida Jesus, Avenida Alcides Carrion and Avenida Parra; which allow the movement of the population between the intermediate and peripheral areas and the downtown. These avenues are connected, in turn, by other avenues such as Avenida Venezuela, Avenida La Marina, Avenida Salaverry, Avenida Cáceres, among others, which almost form a ring around the downtown. Other avenues such as: Avenida Cayma, Avenida Goyeneche, and Avenida Dolores link the suburbs and nearby districts with downtown Arequipa. Interchanges such as the one at Avenida La Marina and another one at Avenida Caceres help to relieve urban traffic. A road of 40 km approximately, which goes through the district of Uchumayo, connects Arequipa to the Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway is a vast network of roads that stretches about 30,000 kilometers (about 19,000 miles) from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in the northernmost part of North America to Ushuaia, Argentina, at the southern tip of South America. I ...
and coastal cities; another road goes through the district of Yura, connecting Arequipa to other cities in the southern highlands like Puno and Cuzco.
Public transit in Arequipa is currently operated by small private companies. In 2014, a metro system was proposed by Peru's then- minister for transport José Gallardo.
Air
Arequipa's only airport is Rodríguez Ballón International Airport, which is operated by a private consortium through a concession granted by the government since 2011. It is located in the district of Cerro Colorado, about northwest of the downtown, and because of its features and facilities is considered one of the best in the country[Mincetur. "Export Investment Guide", p. 26.] There are regular flights to Peruvian destinations such as Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
, Cuzco, Tacna
Tacna, officially known as San Pedro de Tacna, is a city in southern Peru and the regional capital of the Tacna Region. A very commercially active city, it is located only north of the border with Arica y Parinacota Region from Chile, inland f ...
and Juliaca and to international destinations such as Arica, Iquique, Antofagasta
Antofagasta () is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2015 census, the city has a population of 402,669.
Once claimed by Bolivia follo ...
, Santiago de Chile
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital city, capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's Chilean Central Valley, central valley and is the center ...
and Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
.
Rail
The railway network system has been operating in Arequipa since 1871, and enables communication between the coast and the mountains and different levels of progress and expansion of population centers located in its path. The system consists of the lines Cusco-Puno-Arequipa and Arequipa-Mollendo. It is of great strategic importance in the multimodal communication system in the southern macro region, since it is the most effective and economical way to transport heavy loads over long distances.
Public
''Terrapuerto Internacional Arequipa'' is a bus terminal located in the district of Jacobo Hunter. There, several bus companies offer land travel routes to regional and national destinations within Peru and to international destinations such as La Paz
La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Aymara language, Aymara: Chuqi Yapu ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With 755,732 residents as of 2024, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities by populati ...
, Santiago de Chile
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital city, capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's Chilean Central Valley, central valley and is the center ...
, Mendoza and Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
.
Notable people
* Max González Olaechea (1867–1946), medical doctor, clinician, and university professor
* Bruno Montenegro (born 1991), trans rights activist, and film director
* Augusto Pérez Araníbar (1858–1948), physician and philanthropist
* Patricia Salas O'Brien (born 1958), sociologist; Minister of Education
* Mario Vargas Llosa
Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquess of Vargas Llosa (28 March 1936 – 13 April 2025) was a Peruvian novelist, journalist, essayist and politician. Vargas Llosa was one of the most significant Latin American novelists and essayists a ...
(1936–2025), novelist and journalist
Twin towns – sister cities
Arequipa is twinned with:
* Charlotte, United States (1962)[* ]
* Maui County, United States (1994)
* Corrientes, Argentina (1973)
* Arica, Chile (1991)
* Iquique, Chile (2005)
* Guangzhou
Guangzhou, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Canton or Kwangchow, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guangdong Provinces of China, province in South China, southern China. Located on the Pearl River about nor ...
, China (2004)
* Ponta Grossa, Brazil (2005)
* Lins, Brazil (2007)
* El Tocuyo
El Tocuyo is a fertile valley and city in west-central Venezuela at elevation. It is located in south-central Lara (state), Lara State about 60 km southwest of Barquisimeto. The town of El Tocuyo was founded by Juan de Carvajal in 1545 on ...
, Venezuela (2007)
* Biella
Biella (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the northern Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, the capital of the Province of Biella, province of the same name, with a population of 44,324 as of 31 December 2017. It is located about northeast of ...
, Italy (1985)
* Cochabamba
Cochabamba (; ) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital (political), capital of the Cochabamba Department and the list of cities in Bolivia, fourth largest city in Bolivia, with ...
, Bolivia (1990)
* Puebla
Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...
, Mexico (2006)
* Morelia, Mexico (1991)
* Guanajuato
Guanajuato, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato, is one of the 32 states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Guanajuato, 46 municipalities and its cap ...
, Mexico (2004)
See also
* List of colonial buildings in Arequipa
* Arequipa Region
Arequipa () is a department and region in southwestern Peru. It is the sixth largest department in Peru, after Puno, Cuzco, Madre de Dios, Ucayali, and Loreto, its sixth most populous department, and its eleventh least densely populated dep ...
* Metropolitan areas of Peru
* Goyeneche Palace
* Tourism in Peru
Notes
References
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External links
Municipality of Arequipa
Arequipa Region
Arequipa, Peru
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{{Authority control
Cities in Peru
Regional capital cities in Peru
Populated places in the Department of Arequipa
Populated places established in 1540
1540 establishments in the Spanish Empire
Tourism in Peru