The Lima Cathedral, known simply as La Catedral in the city, is a highlight of any visit. The first stone of the cathedral was laid by Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador who defeated the Inca. Ironically, Pizarro would be laid to rest in the same cathedral less than ten years later, when he was murdered in the streets during the brutal warring among Spanish factions that followed the fall of the Inca. There are 15 smaller chapels within the larger cathedral structure, each of which is dedicated to a different saint or religious figure. The cathedral is famous for the ornately carved choir stalls and several impressive paintings.
