Plaza de Armas

Welcome to Arequipa’s ground zero: the Plaza de Armas. You’re standing exactly where the city’s story began on August 15, 1540. But don’t let the peaceful atmosphere and elegant white stone fool you.

This square is a survivor. Over the centuries, it has burned, shaken, been buried, and rebuilt around ten times. For nearly five hundred years, it has been one of the favorite targets of the region’s earthquakes.

And here’s a little archaeological secret: the ground beneath your feet today sits around 80 centimeters (2.6 feet) higher than the original square did in 1540. Century after century, earthquake rubble and mudflows gradually piled up, literally raising the city layer by layer. Now look around you.

The square is framed by three enormous arcaded galleries, each a little over 105 meters (345 feet) long. And I’ll save you the trouble of counting the arches yourself—there are no fewer than 87. Today, they’re home to cafés and stores, but for centuries these arcades hosted markets, bullfights, royal celebrations...

and even public executions. At the center of the square, you can’t miss the bronze fountain dating from 1735, topped by a curious little copper figure blowing a trumpet: the Tuturutú. The historical explanation says he was originally an angel who simply lost his wings over time.

Local legend tells a rather different story. According to tradition, he is the ghost of a young messenger serving the Inca Mayta Cápac, who traveled through the region blowing his trumpet—“Tuturutúúú!”—to announce the arrival of food supplies, until one day the freezing Andean cold left him frozen in place forever. And there’s one more twist in his story.

During renovation work in the early 20th century, parts of the fountain were dismantled and accidentally stored in the city’s former prison. So our little guardian actually spent some time behind bars before finally returning to his pedestal. Take a moment to sit at one of the many café terraces above the arcades and enjoy the view of Misti volcano rising in the distance.