La Merced

La Merced was the first church to be built in Lima, and it is said that it was the site where the first Mass took place. At Independence, the Virgin of La Merced was made a marshal of the Peruvian army. The restored colonial façade is a fine example of Baroque architecture. Inside are magnificent altars and some notable tilework on the walls. A door from the right of the nave leads into the monastery where you can see 18th-century religious paintings in the sacristy. The cloister dates from 1546.