As a city founded upon Roman Catholicism, Lima as a whole boasts hundreds, if not thousands of Catholic churches and cathedrals. Many of Lima’s oldest and most beautiful Catholic churches and cathedrals were built during its colonial period as a visible manifestation of the Catholic faith in the New World. Fast forward nearly 500 years and the Catholic Church remains a dominant feature in both Lima and Peru as a whole. Over the years many of Lima’s most historic churches have been maintained and/or restored, but the elegance of new church construction in Lima had continued well into the 20th century. One of these Catholic churches that was constructed in the 20th century was Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria (Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary), more popularly known as “La Cupula”, and is one of our most favorite historical, cultural, and architectural gems in Lima.

Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria

Since its completion in 1957 in the heart of Lima’s Magdalena del Mar district, Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria has served as the district’s defining spiritual, cultural, and architectural symbol. Not only is La Cupula known for its classic Neo-Renaissance architectural style and colorful pink and green facade, it’s also well-known for being Lima’s tallest church at 226 feet tall (69 meters). While it doesn’t have the long history or ornate colonial-era style that the more famous Cathedral of Lima has, Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria is special in its own right. From its towering dome topped with a 32-foot tall (10 meters) statue of the Virgin Mary to its elegant and beautiful interior, “La Cupula” is something altogether unique.

How & When To Visit

Unlike Lima’s other famous churches and cathedrals, Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria is less a “living museum” and more an active church with daily masses and a large regularly-attending congregation. As such, Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria is not a massively popular tourist destination and remains a hidden gem in Lima. This means that the church is not only free to visit, but the times to visit the church and attend a mass are flexible and quite accessible for first-time visitors. As of August 2019, Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria’s daily mass schedule is as follows below. Masses are all in Spanish.

Mondays to Fridays 7 a.m., 6 p.m., and 7 p.m.
Saturdays 7 a.m., 5 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.
Sundays 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 6 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria Info

Directions: Calle 28 de Julio 523, Magdalena del Mar, Lima 15086
(Located at the intersection of Calle 28 de Julio and Avenida Antonio José de Sucre)

Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria’s Facebook Page

To check out various pictures of Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria below, just click to enlarge! Or for high-res slideshow viewing, see our Iglesia del Inmaculado Corazon de Maria photo album on the official Lima City of Kings Facebook Page!