The old and the new Peru

by Marie Robinson Wright

CALLE DEL COMERCIO, TRUJILLO.

Trujillo was the first city of Peru that proclaimed and took the oath of Independence, on the 22d of December, 1820, the Cabildo being convened under the presidency of the Intendente, the Marquis of Torre-Tagle. General Bolivar, in his message to Congress in 1825, said that the provinces comprising the Intendencia of Trujillo had given liberty to Peru; and in recognition of this patriotic movement, he bestowed the name of La Libertad on the Department, which, under the republic, replaced the Intendencia of the colonial government. Later, the limits of La Libertad were encroached upon to form the Departments of Amazonas, Cajamarca, Piura, and Lambayeque, each of these divisions being entitled to share the honor of having led the way to national liberty. In 1824, Trujillo was declared the capital of the republic, during the time that Lima was occupied by the royalists. Its history as a republican city reflects honor on the people, who have shown their patriotism and courage upon every occasion when the needs of the country have called them to action. In the war with Chile, the Trujillo regiment was distinguished among all the troops of Peru for bravery on the field; from this city most liberal contributions have been made for purposes of national defence; and the public spirit of the citizens is constantly shown by their generous encouragement of enterprises for the public benefit, such as the installation of the water works system, the paving of sidewalks, and the maintenance of public parks and buildings, all of which have been effected through the coöperation of progressive townspeople.

PICTURESQUE ROAD THROUGH A SUGAR ESTATE.

During the viceroyalty, Trujillo was a walled city, of oval form, and about two leagues in circumference; the attacks of pirates led the Duke de la Palata, when viceroy of Peru, to provide this means of defence against invasion, the wall being built in 1617, of adobe, five feet thick and ten feet high, with a parapet above it and fifteen bastions. Only a few traces of this structure still remain, the increased population and industrial development having extended the city’s boundaries greatly beyond its former limits. The present population is about twenty thousand. The streets follow the usual plan of Spanish-built cities, cutting each other at right angles and having an average width of from forty to fifty feet. The houses are of the Spanish colonial style, in appearance resembling those of Lima more than any other Peruvian city. Everywhere one sees the little balconies encased in ornamental rejas or barred frames; spacious patios, paved with ornamental tiles and adorned with plants and flowers,—presenting a most attractive appearance as seen from the street,—and solid walls and massive doors, telling of a period when durability was deemed as important as architectural beauty. The houses built nowadays are mere shells in comparison with the edifices constructed by the Spanish conquerors and their successors, when a wall had to be made several feet thick to be satisfactory, and a door must be large enough to admit a mounted horseman, and massive enough to resist a battering-ram. From the principal public square, called here, as elsewhere in Spanish-America, the Plaza de Armas, the most important public buildings may be seen, the Prefecture, municipal buildings and other government offices overlooking this central paseo. The plaza covers five acres and is ornamented with a garden of shrubs and flowers, in the midst of which stands a large stone fountain. Beautiful shade trees border the great square, making it an ideal place for a promenade, and here the social world congregates in the evening. In the vicinity of the plaza are several interesting old churches of the colonial period. When Pizarro founded the city, the chronicler of that event tells us, “the convents of Santo Domingo, San Francisco, and La Merced were the corner stones of that enterprise.” The convent of San Agustin, situated a block away from the plaza, was founded in 1558, and the first Jesuit college in 1627. The episcopal diocese of Trujillo was created in 1577.

A CORRAL ON A SUGAR ESTATE, CHICAMA VALLEY.

The church of San Agustin is particularly notable for the magnificent carving of its main altar and pulpit, and the rich gilding that adorns them. The Jesuit college building has been occupied by the University of Trujillo since the inauguration of the republic, in accordance with a decree of President Bolivar, dated the 10th of May, 1824. The convent of Belem, founded in 1671, is now used as a hospital. The schools and benevolent institutions of Trujillo receive especial attention, and the best interests of both are made a subject of public and private consideration. Besides the University and the National College of San Juan, maintained by the government, the Institute Moderno, the Colegio de La Independencia and other schools afford secondary instruction, and primary training is given in ten or more municipal colleges.

The night schools of Trujillo are worthy of emulation in every city of Peru. Not only is manual training given, but lessons in bookkeeping, etc., are taught, and classes are instructed in the English language, which is regarded as of especial importance because of its usefulness in a commercial career. The Railway Society of Mutual Protection, the Employés’ Union of the Department of La Libertad and similar societies are doing a great work for the improvement of conditions among the clerks and other working people of the capital. Not only are classes formed for the benefit of men who wish to pursue a special study, but free instruction is given to boys who would otherwise be spending their evenings in idle company on the streets. It is interesting to visit these schools and see them filled night after night with eager and ambitious pupils. The teachers give their services free during certain evenings each week.