Morro Solar is a cliffside headland overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the southern district of Chorrillos. The expanse features several statues and monuments including war hero and former President Miguel Iglesias, the Unknown Soldier, Christ of the Pacific and Sanctuary of the Virgin of Morro Solar. The area also has a planetarium and offers one of the best views in Lima overlooking the coastline.

Before scheduling your visit, we have to give the standard warning that Morro Solar is not the safest tourist destination in Lima. You should not have a problem if you take a taxi directly to the top and have it wait for you to depart, which could be expensive. But it’s common for even Peruvians to get robbed at Morro Solar.

The hillsides surrounding the mountainous site have been developed by “land invasions,” or squatter settlements. The residents of these informal neighborhoods are by nature poor, a small number of whom prey upon the steady stream of visitors to the site. In fact, when I asked a police officer from Chorrillos what I should tell international tourists about Morro Solar, he told me to tell them not to come.

I think that warning is exaggerated and that he’s biased by being the person who only hears when there is trouble. But he was very clear that there are unsavory individuals plotting on your expensive cameras or laptops.

The undeveloped land around the site is still fought over by land trafficking gangs. But most of the assaults seem to target Lima’s mountain biking community, since Morro Solar is popular among adrenaline junkies. The sides of the mountains are lined with bike trails. Are you into adventure sports? Be careful before tackling Morro Solar, as the falls can be fatal for the less experienced cyclists.

Enough with the warnings. As I said earlier, have a taxi take you directly to the top and wait for you to see everything before taking you back down to be extra careful. Or there is a pedestrian staircase at the foot of the hill. If you ascend that, you’ll minimize your time walking past the slums. Or take a taxi to the top and the pedestrian stairs down.

Unknown Soldier

Morro Solar was the site of the Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos during the War of the Pacific. After early victories in southern Peru, the Chileans attacked Lima at Chorrillos. The Chileans triumphed here and in Miraflores, which led to Chile’s humiliating three-year occupation of Lima.

This 70-foot obelisk and bronze statue of the Unknown Soldier honors all the Peruvians who died resisting the Chileans both at the Morro Solar and Parque Reducto No. 2.

Miguel Iglesias

Another monument honors wartime general and former President Miguel Iglesias. Francisco Bolognesi and Miguel Grau are the best-known Peruvian generals who died with honor in the War of the Pacific. But Iglesias was the general who raised an army to defend the capital from the superior position at Morro Solar. Iglesias was taken prisoner in the battle on Jan. 12, 1881, after which he was freed to return to his home in Cajamarca.

In 1883, after the Treaty of Ancon ended the war, Iglesias returned to Lima to lead the new government after being selected by a provisional legislature. Iglesias served as president of Peru for just over one year, when Andres Avelino Caceres deposed him in one of Peru’s many coups. Caceres enjoyed popular support for having led the resistance against the Chileans from the mountains during the occupation.

Christ of the Pacific

Morro Solar is probably best known for the 120-foot statue of Jesus Christ overlooking the Pacific. This Christ of the Pacific, modeled on the Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio de Janeiro, was built by disgraced Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in 2011. It was seen at the time as a vanity project by outgoing President Alan Garcia, and become something of a symbol of corruption since the Lava Jato scandal exposed bribes paid by Odebrecht to Peruvian politicians of all stripes.

Sanctuary of the Virgin of Morro Solar

Of the monuments at Morro Solar, the oldest is the shrine of the Virgin Mary, brought from Lourdes, France in 1905. In front of the Virgin is a small patio with chapel-style seating.

Below the statue is an altar and pedestal decorated with beautiful painted tiles and dedications to Santa Rosa, San Martin de Porres, Señor de los Milagros and more.

The Virgin’s vantage point enjoys the best view over Chorrillos’s fishing bay and the Lima coastline. Behind the statue is a giant cross, which you have probably seen illuminated at night from the Malecon in Miraflores.

Planetarium

Also in the Morro Solar complex is a planetarium and astronomy museum, popular for school field trips. But you have to schedule a visit or come on Sundays.

Biking Trails

Mountain-bike trails criss-cross the mountains behind the monuments. You can also hike here and enjoy the natural views of the coastline, an evasive pleasure in the chaotic capital. Birds of prey soar above looking for food. Be careful of the dogs.

Watch this point-of-view video to get an idea of the mountain-biking available at Morro Solar.

Location and info

Morro Solar is located on Malecon Grau Avenue in Chorrillos, just south of Agua Dulce beach and north of La Herradura. Any taxi driver knows how to get there. The closest Metropolitano station is Teran, about one mile away.