Hello everyone!
I hope that you are all very well.
To tour through the historic centre of Lima is to travel past many mansions, museums and streets that contain so much value for future generations. However that being said, there are many places that still have not developed with enormous potential that needs to be taken advantage of in order to promote sustainable tourist development. Nowadays there are areas in the centre of Lima in which you can breathe in a culture that has been consistently moving and changing for centuries.
Re-discovering the Gallery
In May this year, I returned to a gallery known as the Thirteen Doors. The gallery can be found next to Ancash street, one step away from what would be the San Francisco Convent of Lima, where famous catacombs can be found and where I worked a tour guide to.
Its administrators and its free entry for all
The Thirteen Doors Gallery is actually administrated by the Municipality of Lima.
You can find here information related to the history of Peru and of Lima, for example I remember that I found an exhibition about the holy mantle of Jesus, that had nothing to do with the centre of Lima, but it was something that the Municipality of Lima decided to show to the general public.
The last time I came here I found a presentation about the chronological timeline of what had happened in Peru and in the world at the same time, as well as highlighting a piece of work by Inca Garcilaso de La Vega:.
This gallery only has one room and so it does not take much time to look around, maybe you could spend a maximum of 35 or 40 minutes here if you become captivated by the information found in here.
On the outside, the façade of the gallery looks exactly like it did on the last time I came to visit, this is due to the fact that there is a lot of respect for the historical centre of Peru, as it is all considered to be a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site.
Explore around the gallery too
This gallery is found in the middle so from here you can follow a route to many other interesting places in the centre of Lima, one of these I have already mentioned as the Convent of San Francisco and its catacombs. The gallery is also located very close to the Plaza Mayor, also known as the Plaza de Armas, as well as being one step away from what is known as the Park de la Muralla. If you walk in the opposite direction, you will also find some shops that sell Spanish churros, which are really tasty for those of you who want to try them. I have had churros on so many occasions, I would highly recommend them, without a doubt.
Infront of the Thirteen Door Gallery you can also find some souvenir shops that you would be very welcome to shop in to buy a little memory of Lima or just to explore the different things you can find inside them.
The gallery has been open for less than 10 years, it is an opportunity that we need to take advantage of as it always has something new and exciting in it. Make sure you pass through here and I am sure that it will only take a couple of minutes for you to realise what a great experience it is.
How to get to the gallery
As I have told you in previous articles, to reach this gallery, you should take the metro line C and get off at the Jirón de la Unión station to walk from there to the Plaza de Armas, when you reach the Government Palace, take the right hand straight down and then turn right to reach the corner where you can reach the Thirteen Door Gallery.
Afterwards, you can explore the San Francisco Convent and walk down Azangaro street where you can eat those amazing churros I told you about - make sure you don't burn your tongue! I'm sure you will enjoy these churros: they are 1/2 soles and they are served immediately.
Don't wait to go and explore the Thirteen Door Gallery, as we have seen it is free and it is always changing the exhibitions that are always interesting to see on your route through the centre of Lima.
See you next time!
