Miraflores District, Lima

Miraflores
—  District  —
Coat of arms
Location of Miraflores in the Lima province
Coordinates: 12°07′03″S 77°02′35″W / 12.1175°S 77.04306°W / -12.1175; -77.04306Coordinates: 12°07′03″S 77°02′35″W / 12.1175°S 77.04306°W / -12.1175; -77.04306
Country	Peru
Region	Lima
Province	Lima
Founded	January 2, 1857
Government
– Mayor	Jorge Muñoz
Area
– Total	9.62 km2 (3.7 sq mi)
Elevation	79 m (259 ft)
Population (2005 census)
– Total	92,815
– Density	9,648.1/km2 (24,988.5/sq mi)
Time zone	PET (UTC-5)
UBIGEO	150122
Website	miraflores.gob.pe

Miraflores is a district of the Lima Province in Peru. 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.

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, Miraflores got the designation of Ciudad Heroica ("Heroic City"). The current mayor is Jorge Muñoz. The district's postal code is 18.

Geography

The district has a total land area of 9.62 km². Its administrative center is located 79 meters above sea level.

Boundaries

• North: San Isidro and Surquillo
• East: Surquillo and Santiago de Surco
• South: Barranco and Santiago de Surco
• West: Pacific Ocean

Climate Miraflores has a marine climate, characterized by mild, humid and comfortable conditions. Temperature oscillate from 14 °C (57 °F) to 19 °C (66 °F) in winter, and from 19 °C (66 °F) to 28 °C (82 °F) in summer. Low clouds are frequent, especially during winter, when morning drizzles are not uncommon. Heavy rain is almost unseen.

History

Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Inca ruin in Miraflores.

The only pre-Inca ruin remaining in Miraflores, Huaca Pucllana (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(1879–1885), the district was the scene of the Battle of Miraflores. Two thousand people died as a result and the district was sacked and burned by Chilean invaders.

Demographics

According to a 2002 estimate by the INEI, 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 sites found in Lima.

In terms of education, the Miraflores district lodges some of the most prestigious high schools in Peru, such as Markham College, and San Silvestre School (British schools), Deutsche Schule Alexander von Humboldt Lima [1](German school), Pestalozzi [2](Swiss school) and Carmelitas School. It also lodges the University of Piura.

Economy

LAN Perú has its headquarters in Miraflores.^[1] When Aeroperú existed, its headquarters were in Miraflores.^[2][3]

Entertainment

Miraflores beach

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, a shopping mall overlooking the Pacific 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 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 is one of the districts 5-star hotels.

Costa Verde

View of Larcomar in Miraflores

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, Punta Hermosa and Punta Negra. Larcomar Shopping Center is located in this area.

Paragliders launch from the coastal ridge, wind providing.

Sister cities

• Pensacola, FL, since 1964, through the efforts of Captain Harold Grow.^[4]

See also

Peru portal

• List of upscale shopping districts

References

1. ^ "Directory: World Airlines." Flight International. March 23–29, 2004. "Lan Peru" 98.
2. ^ "Our Offices in Peru." Aeroperú. August 13, 1997. Retrieved on March 14, 2010.
3. ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 20–26, 1996. "Aeroperu" 44.
4. ^ Pensacola Sister Cities

External links

Lima travel guide from Wikitravel

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