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Magdalena Vieja
The Architectural Treasures
By Christine Mortimer

The Franciscans ran the church for 200 years until December 2, 1758, when it was donated to the Archdiocese of Lima and that same day, Don José Jacinto Alcedo was named as the new parish priest.

It is estimated that pulpit and altars were built sometime between 1741 and 1750, and according to an inventory written by the Franciscan fathers in 1758, there were seven altars and the pulpit, each carved in pure Baroque style and covered in gold leaf. It is interesting to note that they have retained an almost-new brightness. The windows are made of 'huamanaga' stone from Arequipa.

The Augustine Fathers took charge of the church on January 22, 1944, by order of the then Archbishop of Lima, Monsignor Pedro Pascual Farfán, and in 1957, and they built the present parish house.

It is said that Simón Bolívar heard mass in this church each morning before attending to his duties.

Casa Hacienda Orbea

Three blocks from the Plaza Bolívar, on the corner of Av. San Martín and Av. Roberto Acevedo, is the privately-owned Casa Hacienda Orbea, which is a beautiful example of an 18th century farmhouse. It is surrounded by tremendously high walls, with a coat of arms and two canons standing outside its main entrance.

Inside the gates, there is a lovely Spanish cobblestone courtyard. There is an old well and an unusual stone pillar with iron rings, which was used for tethering horses. Tucked in the trees is a charming little chapel, which still has the original beautiful Spanish tiled altar and communion table.

The house was built in 1753 by the first owners, the Orbea family, which had extensive farmland and olive groves. The old mill that was used for making olive oil still stands.

In 1774, the ownership passed to the family descentants, who still live in it. The present owner is a grandson of the late President, Don Manuel Candamo. He took charge of its beautiful restoration, carefully maintaining its authenticity. The house has been declared a National Monument. Unfortunately, this lovely Casa Hacienda is not open to the public.

Boulevard San Martin and
the Antigua Taberna Queirolo & Bodega

A bar-restaurant filled with tradition, Taberna Queirolo was founded by the Queirolo Raggio brothers in 1880, practically the moment they disembarked from the boat that brought them from Genoa, Italy. It was originally a Pulpería (a grocery store) that supplied the huge surrounding haciendas: San Felipe, Maranga, Mateo Salao, Pando, Oyague, etc.

In time the store evolved into the bar-restaurant that we know today, including an adjacent winery where they produced and sold their own wines and piscos. At that time, the family vineyard was in nearby Maranga, in today's El Parque de las Leyendas Zoo. The Queirolos moved their vineyards to Cañete and later to Pachacamac.

During its colourful history and great atmosphere, the Taberna Queirolo has attracted many celebrities, above all the Argentinean tango singer Carlos Gardel and Peruvian novelist Alfredo Bryce Echenique.

The bar-restaurant occupies a beautiful 17th century colonial building, and is located on the corner of General Vivanco with San Martin, 50 meters from the Anthropological Museum of Pueblo Libre. The menu includes numerous criollo dishes. And, of course, you can enjoy some of the Queirolo's excellent wines and piscos!

El Bolivariano

'El Bolivariano' was built in 1780, on a property that once belonged to the Parish of Magdalena Vieja. The Parish Church of Maria Magdalena used it as a small farm, and it was known as 'La Huerta del Convento' (The Convent's Kitchen Garden).

In December 1875, the Parish sold the farm, and it has changed hands several times, either by inheritance or by sale. Its present owners converted the little farm into the 'El Bolivariano' Restaurant. During its restoration and conservation, a great deal of effort was made to maintain its original colonial charm. The restaurant's décor gives us an idea of what it must have looked like in the early 19th century. The affection and dedication of its owners and the personnel of 'El Bolivariano' certainly reflects their love for its history and for that wonderful Peru of old.

One special detail of Magdalena Vieja that they have managed to re-capture is its Old World peacefulness and this is what makes El Bolivariano a perfect place to stop and enjoy a delicious meal with the real flavour of Old Peruvian Cooking. Buen Provecho!

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