Address: Perú 294 -1ªpiso – Monserrat
The set of buildings that makes up the “Manzana de las Luces” has a number of subterranean galleries that were built during the 18th century and that allowed for the connection among other neighboring buildings of paramount importance for the political life of the country. The reason of their existence hasn’t been proved yet but the hypothesis that aim at defending the city from surprise attacks were discarded and the ones that seem to fit best are the ones of smuggling and of being a means of communication among churches, convents and schools and among the different parts of the hospitals. When Lima was the capital of the viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata and the Port of Buenos Aires was banned from performing commercial activities, it turned into the ideal refuge for smuggling.
In 1983 a section of these three tunnels was restored and they were given good lighting conditions as well as ventilation so as to let visitors tour them. One of these sections heads southwest, another one towards the east and the remaining one, towards the west.
