balconies of Lima

The balconies of Lima are items of cultural heritage built during the Viceroyalty of Peru and the Republic of Peru. Most of these balconies are of the Viceroyalty period, built in the late 17th and 18th centuries, are located in the Historic Center of Lima. They were adapted for residential purposes and have influenced the lives of many Peruvian scholars such as the 19th century writer Ricardo Palma. The balconies have been crucial in UNESCO's declaration of the Historic Center of Lima as a World Heritage Site. Colonial architecture Peruvian colonial architecture in the Viceroyalty of Peru developed in the 16th to the 19th century, when Latin America was conquered by the Spaniards. Balconies in Lima were built in the Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical and Neo-Baroque styles and had Mediterranean, Moorish and Andalusian influences. The Renaissance and Baroque styles emerged as a result of European influence. The Renaissance idea that the nobility of a building characterized a city's grandiosity permeated in Lima's architecture. Baroque architecture of this period, characterized by exuberance and heavy ornamentation, is prevalent as well. In the 18th century, the Rococo style permeated in Lima, as a result of French influence. This style embraced ornamentation and playful themes. Casa Goyeneche, built in 1863, is noted for its French influence.