Sightseeing in Central Tacna, Peru

-Tacna, a city with heroes of WW2

Peru's most southerly settlement in the desert, a city which is located quite close to the border to Chile. Today Tacna is a mostly commercial city with Chilean shoppers.

There are some small museums which have exhibitions of the war.

The center of the city is a plaza, Paseo Civico, every Sunday it holds a ceremony of a march to show their patriotism.

For the tourists, around the plaza and a street, Av. Bolognesi is the main tourist area. To walk around, it takes about 1 hour.

Sights -Central

Cathedral

La Catedral

Its construction began in 1875 by the French firm of Alejandro Gustave Eiffel and noted for its fine stained-glass windows and onyx high altar. Because of the War of the Pacific and the Chilean occupation, the work stopped. The church was formally completed in 1954. It is built in the neo-renaissance architectural style. It is created with stones quarried from the hills of Intiorko and Arunta.

Calle Callao / Paseo Civico

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07:00-12:30/15:00-19:30

Mon-Sun

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Parabolic Arch

El Arco

Paseo Civico

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The Tacna Parabolic Arch was built in 1959. It was raised in honor of the heroes of the War of the Pacific, like Admiral Miguel Grau and Colonel Francisco Bolognesi. Its construction is made of quarried pink stone and 18 feet high.

Fountain

La Pila Ornamental

It was acquired and given to the city of Tacna by the governor, in 1869. It is a bronze fountain of six meters high and six meters in diameter and which was created by the French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. It rises over a granite base which symbolizes the four seasons of the year and over the largest fountain. Under the fountain there is a gallery space where local handy craft makers sell their works.

Paseo Civico

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－　（Gallery: 10:00-17:00）

－　（Gallery: Mon-Sat)

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Plaza, Paseo Civico

El Paseo Civico

This main plaza is located in the center of city, and it has a patriotic flag-raising ceremony every Sunday morning from 9 am. The cathedral, the bronze fountain and the parabolic arch are here. Before it famously pictured on the front of Peru’s S100 note.

En frente de la catedral

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Historical Museum

El Museo Historico

This is a small and simple museum of the War of the Pacific against Chile and it was created in 1957. You can see patriotic like everything in Tacna. This museum above the town library broadcasts a grand somewhat triumphant air. Five huge canvases adorn the walls and busts of erstwhile heroes such as Zela, Bolognesi and Ugarte sit among old swords, yellowed letters and details about the War. Information is Spanish only.

Calle Apurimac 202

052-428505

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07:45-11:30/13:15-16:30

Tue-Sun

Adult S2, Child S0.5, Student & Sinior S1

Railroad Museum

El Museo Ferroviario

This museum is located inside the train station which don’t operate now. To enter, just ring the bell at the southern gate and wait for a while. You can wander amid beautiful though poorly maintained 20th-century steam engines and rolling stock, most of them are British. There are some rooms of exhibitions which has some collections about the history of train.

Calle Gregorio Albarracin 526

052-245572

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08:00-17:00

Mon-Sun

S5 （under 5 yr: Free）

Museum of Zela

La Casa de Zela

Francisco Antonio de Zela, an important forerunner to Peruvian independence, once lived there. The small, musty museum provides a look at the interior of one of Tacna’s oldest colonial buildings which was given the status of a national historic monument in 1961. Information is Spanish only.

Calle zela 542

052-411716

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08:00-12:00/15:00-18:00

Mon-Sun

Adult S2

City Theater

El Teatro Municipal

It was built in 1870 by the Spanish engineer Constantine Martinez, and was declared a historic and artistic monument in 1972 by Peruvian government. The two-story building exhibits a façade make entirely of quarried stone and inside there remains some frames of wood.

Pasaje Calderón de la Barca and

2 de mayo

052-411716

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－（look outside only）

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St. Bolognesi

Av.Bolognesi

Along the street, Bolognesi, is a shopping area. Underneath la Alameda runs the Caplina River in a perfect canal. The walkway is filled with Chilean shoppers especially in weekends. For medical tourists, there are lots of shops of a pair of glasses, dentists, clinics and hospitals.

Av. Bolognesi

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Court House

La Casa Jurídica

The courthouse is open to the public and it contains the Reincorporation Museum and the Art Gallery. The building was built in 1902. On August 28, 1929, in this building the parties signed the Act transferring Tacna to Peru. Information is Spanish only.

Calle zela 716

052-415225

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08:00-16:00

Mon-Fri

Free

Locomotive Park

El Parque de la locomotora

About a 15-minute walk from the railroad museum, a British locomotive built in 1859 in the United States. And it used as a troop train in the War of the Pacific. During the Chilean occupation, the engine continued working between Tacna and Arica. In 1940, it broke down but was repaired and put into the park in 1977.

Av. Grau s/n

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Traditional Houses

La Casa Tradicional

Still we can see some old poor-maintained traditional houses in the city. Local people don’t have attention to them and they like to build a new-style house but we can see many souvenirs which designed a traditional house.

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Tourist Information

You can get tourist information in "i-peru" and "Dircetur".

Kid's Park

Parque del niño

This public Kid’s park open only weekends and holidays. You should pay entrance fee but in the other word, it’s safer place where your kids can play. There are some attraction (a boat for rent, a go‐carta kart and etc.) which you should pay extra on the spot.

Panamericana sur

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09:00-18:00

Sat. Sun & Holiday

Adult S1, Child S0.5