Miraflores District, Lima
Encyclopedia
Miraflores is a district
Districts of Peru
The districts of Peru are the third-level country subdivisions of Peru. They are subdivisions of the provinces, which in turn are subdivisions of the larger regions or departments...

 of the Lima Province
Lima Province
Lima Province is located in the central coast of Peru and is the only province in the country not belonging to any of the twenty-five regions. Its capital is Lima, which is also the nation's capital....

 in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

. Known for its shopping areas, gardens, flower-filled parks and beaches, it is one of the upscale districts that make up the city of Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...

.

Originally founded as San Miguel de Miraflores, it was established officially as a district on January 2, 1857. As a result of the Battle of Miraflores fought during the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...

, Miraflores got the designation of Ciudad Heroica ("Heroic City"). The current mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 is Jorge Muñoz. The district's postal code
Postal code
A postal code is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a postal address for the purpose of sorting mail. Once postal codes were introduced, other applications became possible.In February 2005, 117 of the 190 member countries of the Universal Postal Union had postal code systems...

 is 18.

Geography

The district has a total land area
Area
Area is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat...

 of 9.62 km². Its administrative center is located 79 meters above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...

.

Boundaries
  • North: San Isidro and Surquillo
    Surquillo
    Surquillo is a district in Lima, Peru. It is bordered by the districts of San Isidro and San Borja on the north; by Miraflores on the south and west; and by Santiago de Surco on the east....

  • East: Surquillo and Santiago de Surco
    Santiago de Surco
    Santiago de Surco, commonly known simply as Surco, is a district of Lima, Peru. It is bordered on the north by the districts of La Molina, Ate and San Borja; on the south by Chorrillos; on the east by La Molina, Villa María del Triunfo and San Juan de Miraflores; and on the west by San Borja,...

  • South: Barranco and Santiago de Surco
  • West: Pacific Ocean
    Pacific Ocean
    The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...



Climate
Miraflores has a marine climate, characterized by mild, humid and comfortable conditions. Temperature oscillate from 14 °C (57.2 °F) to 19 °C (66.2 °F) in winter, and from 19 °C (66.2 °F) to 28 °C (82.4 °F) in summer. Low clouds are frequent, especially during winter, when morning drizzles are not uncommon. Heavy rain is almost unseen.

History

The only pre-Inca ruin remaining in Miraflores, Huaca Pucllana
Huaca Pucllana
The Huaca Juliana, or Huaca Pucllana, is a great adobe and clay pyramid located in the Miraflores district of central Lima, Peru, built from seven staggering platforms...

(formerly Hispanicized as Juliana) can still be seen.
The Spanish town of Miraflores was established in the 16th century. However it was merged into the Lima Metropolitan Area as the city expanded during the early 20th century. During the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...

(1879–1885), the district was the scene of the Battle of Miraflores
Battle of Miraflores
The Battle of Miraflores occurred on January 15, 1881 in the Miraflores District of Lima, Peru. It was an important battle during the War of the Pacific that was fought between Chile and the forces of Peru. The Chilean army led by Gen. Manuel Baquedano defeated the army commanded by Nicolás de...

. Two thousand people died as a result and the district was sacked and burned by Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

an invaders.

Demographics

According to a 2002 estimate by the INEI
Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática
The Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática is a semi-autonomous Peruvian government agency which coordinates, compiles, and evaluates statistical information for the country...

, the district has 92,815 inhabitants and a population density of 9,648.1 persons/km². In 1999, there were 27,489 households in the district.

Culture and education

The district is also a cultural center, with theaters, cinemas and art galleries. It also has a pre-Inca mud-brick temple called the Huaca Pucllana, one of a number of archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...

 sites found in Lima.

In terms of education, the Miraflores district lodges some of the most prestigious high schools in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

, such as Markham College
Markham College
Markham College is a school in Lima, Peru. Founded by British expatriates, Markham promotes a mixture of British and Peruvian education supported by a strictly enforced set of traditions. Its students fulfill the Peruvian national curriculum, as well as the IGCSE program from the University of...

, and San Silvestre School
San Silvestre School
San Silvestre School is a British-Peruvian private school located in Lima, Peru. The program is girls only, non-residential and extends from early childhood through Form VI . It is divided into Early Years Primary ) and Secondary sections...

 (British schools), Deutsche Schule Alexander von Humboldt Lima http://www.colegio-humboldt.edu.pe/(German school), Pestalozzi http://www.pestalozzi.edu.pe/(Swiss school) and Carmelitas School. It also lodges the University of Piura
University of Piura
The University of Piura is located in Peru, the Latin American country with the highest levels of economic growth in recent years. Founded in 1969 by Josemaría Escrivá, UDEP provides quality education, promotes research and trains professionals capable of transforming society.One of the ten best...

.

Economy

LAN Perú
LAN Peru
LAN Perú S.A. is an airline based in Lima, Peru. It is a subsidiary of Chilean publicly-traded company LAN Airlines , which owns 49% of the airline. It operates scheduled domestic and international services. Its main base is on the grounds of Jorge Chávez International Airport...

 has its headquarters in Miraflores. When Aeroperú
Aeroperu
Aeroperú was the former national flag carrier of Peru, and from 1993 to 2000 was a subsidiary of AeroMéxico. Its headquarters were in Miraflores, Lima. It went bankrupt in 1999...

 existed, its headquarters were in Miraflores.

Entertainment

The district is full of hotels, cafés, pubs, restaurants and shops, which is a draw for a large part of the Lima population on Sundays. Parque Kennedy, Miraflores' central plaza, regularly has flea markets and art exhibitions. Larcomar
Larcomar
The Larcomar is a shopping center in the Miraflores district of Lima, Peru owned by Chilean company Parque Arauco S.A. . It is frequently visited by international tourists, as well as by locals from Miraflores and other parts of Lima. It is located on Avenida Jose Larco, and it is next to the...

, a shopping mall overlooking the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

 coast, is located in Miraflores, and is very popular among tourists, young people, and the middle and upper classes. They have restaurants, stores, a food court, ice cream shops, arcades, bowling alleys, nightclubs, bars, and the most modern cinema in all of Lima.

The Calle de las Pizzas ("Pizza Street") in downtown Miraflores, a favourite among Lima's teenagers and young adults, has many pubs which every weekend are filled with people.

Miraflores has always been a major hub for tourists in Lima. There are a number of hotels in the area, including a couple of international hotel brands (Hilton
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...

 and Ritz Carlton) which have projects planned for construction in 2009. Furthermore, there are several shops selling souvenirs and tourist products. The Miraflores Park Hotel
Miraflores Park Hotel
The Miraflores Park Hotel is a 5-star luxury hotel in Lima, Peru. The hotel is located in Miraflores district, along a tree-lined avenue on the Av malecon de la reserva. It is a notable venue for conferences and wedding receptions. An observatory lounge is located on the 11th floor, offering scenic...

 is one of the districts 5-star hotels.

Costa Verde

The Costa Verde ("green coast") area has several beaches, which draw surfers and beachgoers alike in summertime. However, these rocky beaches are not as popular with bathers as the large, sandy beaches in the districts south of Lima, such as Santa María del Mar
Santa María del Mar
Santa María del Mar is a district in southern Lima Province in Peru. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the district of San Bartolo on the north, the Chilca District of the Cañete Province on the east, and the Pucusana district on the south....

, Punta Hermosa
Punta Hermosa
Punta Hermosa is one of 43 districts of the Lima Province in Peru. The capital of the district is the village of Punta Hermosa. The district's main attractions are its beaches.-Geography:...

 and Punta Negra
Punta Negra
The Peruvian district of Punta Negra is one of the 43 districts of the Province of Lima. It borders the district of Punta Hermosa to the north, the Province of Huarochirí to the east, the district of San Bartolo to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west....

. Larcomar
Larcomar
The Larcomar is a shopping center in the Miraflores district of Lima, Peru owned by Chilean company Parque Arauco S.A. . It is frequently visited by international tourists, as well as by locals from Miraflores and other parts of Lima. It is located on Avenida Jose Larco, and it is next to the...

 Shopping Center is located in this area.

Paragliders
Paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure...

launch from the coastal ridge, wind providing.

External links

Municipalidad de Miraflores - Miraflores District Council official website Museo de Sitio Huaca Pucllana (Pucllana Museum Site) Huaca Pucllana Photo Gallery - Huaca Pucllana in Miraflores Photo Gallery Miraflores A Magnificent City - Pictures 5.03 Gigapixel Photo of Miraflores - 5.03 Gigapixel Photo of Miraflores
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