Have you heard of Lima? Well, It is a city in Peru, South America. Its first name was the City of Kings or in Spanish, Ciudad de Los Reyes.

The Spaniards came to Peru on quest looking for precious metals like gold and silver that they could then take back to Spain back in the 16th century. They were looking for glory and wealth when they landed on the shores of Peru, prepared to establish a colony in the new territory.

Lima is not the first place they found, but it soon became Spain’s first city on the continent. In 1535, the Spanish called Lima the City of Kings, because the city was founded on a religious holiday – the Catholic holiday better known as Three Kings Day.

The city that is now Lima quickly became the capital of Spain in South America, giving the city’s name a new meaning. It remained loyal to the crown and was the last country on the continent to claim independence. Lima lost its original name shortly after its founding.

The inhabitants of the area of Lima during the Spanish’s arrival, who served the Incas, called the area “Limaq“. It became known as Lima because the Spanish couldn’t pronounce the “q” at the end, so they dropped it.

The original name of the “City of Kings” may not be used that much anymore, but it remains the capital of Peru and is still the biggest city to this date standing in the country of Peru.