Balconies of Lima

[2] Balconies in Lima were built in the Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical and Neo-Baroque styles and had Mediterranean, Moorish and Andalusian influences.

Closed wooden balconies, also called miradores, were inherited from the Mashrabiya tradition of Moorish architecture, as the Moors occupied Southern Spain.

[2] The term mirar in Spanish translates to “to look”, indicating that the balconies give the residents an extensive view of the scenery (Bloom and Blair).

The wooden balconies projecting at upper levels also allow for privacy and air circulation, an essential feature for buildings in warmer countries.

Antonio de la Calancha and Juan Meléndez first coined the term, writing, "They are so many and too large that they seem to be streets on the air.

"[4] Although the balconies were originally built to shield women of nobility from voyeuristic gazes, they were also sites of gossip and amorous encounters.

Historian Charles Walker has interpreted the balconies as a manifestation of social power dynamics, as they illustrate the distinction between individuals of different classes.

[5] So committed was he to their salvation that he compared the balconies' importance to that of the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty and the lions in Trafalgar Square.

These efforts have revived Lima's consciousness of its identity as the a City of Balconies, a term first coined by architect Adolfo Vargas.