Located in the neighbourhood of Barrios Altos, next to Chinatown, it is part of the historic centre of the city.

The building is made up of a basement that occupies the entire block, with a commercial perimeter ring.

[1] In 1846, during the government of President Ramón Castilla, a supreme decree was issued for the construction of a food market in the city of Lima.

It was decided that its location would be the same as it currently occupies: the block surrounded by Huallaga, Andahuaylas, Ucayali and Ayacucho streets.

During the 1980s, due to the conditions of political and economic crisis in the country, the market and its surrounding area were immersed in problems of disorder, overcrowding and insecurity.