Lima

This 1940s travelogue film, likely produced to promote tourism or cultural exchange under the Good Neighbor Policy, showcases Lima, Peru—nicknamed the “City of Kings”—in all its splendor. Filmed in vibrant Kodachrome, it opens with sweeping shots of the Pacific coastline and the Rímac River valley, where Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro founded the city on January 18, 1535. The historical segment highlights colonial gems: the Plaza de Armas, framed by the grand Lima Cathedral and Government Palace, its ornate balconies a nod to Moorish-Andean fusion; and the Convent of San Francisco, with its sprawling cloisters. Archival footage or reenactments might depict Pizarro laying the cathedral’s first stone, tying Lima’s past as the Viceroyalty of Peru’s capital to its preserved architecture—despite earthquakes like the devastating 1746 quake. Transitioning to modern life, the film captures 1940s Lima: bustling markets, street vendors selling ceviche, and trams clattering past pastel facades. Scenes of Miraflores’ cliffs or Parque de la Reserva’s fountains hint at a city blending tradition with progress, its 600,000 residents (circa 1940) embracing a vibrant present amid a storied past. A celebration of Lima’s enduring beauty and vitality.