# Miraflores District, Lima

Miraflores, founded as San Miguel de Miraflores, is a district of Lima Province, in Peru. A residential and upscale shopping district, it is one of the wealthiest districts that make up the city of Lima, located to the south of the city's historic downtown area, as well as one of its main tourist destinations.
It was established as a district on January 2, 1857. As a result of the Battle of Miraflores fought during the War of the Pacific, Miraflores is called Ciudad Heroica ("Heroic City").

## History

Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, Miraflores was one of the locations inhabited by members of the ancient Lima culture, which preceded the Inca Empire. The Huaca Pucllana (formerly Hispanicized as Juliana) serves as its only remaining remnants in the district, originally much larger in size.
Once Spanish rule was established, the area became part of the district of Magdalena Vieja. Established as San Miguel de Miraflores, it takes its name from the Miraflores Charterhouse, having become a district on January 2, 1857 under the presidency of Ramón Castilla and containing a number of estates (Armendáriz, Balconcillo, Barboncito, La Palma, Conde San Isidro, Lince, Limatambo, Santa Cruz and Chacarilla), as well as the lands at Leuro and Ocharán.
Miraflores was the site of encounters between José de San Martín and Viceroy Pezuela that took place during the Peruvian War of Independence, on September 24, 1820. During the War of the Pacific, the district was the site of the eponymous battle, where two thousand people died as a result and the district was sacked and burned by the Chilean Army. In 1898, it was limited to the north by the lands of the Surquillo estate, to the west by Bellavista street, to the east by the railroad tracks that reached Lima and to the south by the first blocks of Larco and Porta streets.
As the city of Lima grew, Miraflores was absorbed into its metropolitan area during the early 20th century. Prior to the 1920s, its territory included the current districts of La Victoria (1920), San Isidro (1931), Lince (1936), part of Santiago de Surco (1944), Surquillo (1949), San Luis (1968) and San Borja (1983).
During the 1940s, the Iglesia Matriz Virgen Milagrosa was built next to the district's central park, replacing the original San Miguel de Miraflores Church.
On July 16, 1992, during the era of terrorism, a street in the district was targeted in a terrorist attack perpetrated by the Shining Path, which led to a crackdown on Peruvian insurgent groups, culminating in the group's leader being captured on September of the same year.

## Geography

The district has a total land area of 9.62 km$^2$. Its administrative center is located 79 meters above sea level.
Boundaries
* North: San Isidro and Surquillo
* East: Surquillo and Santiago de Surco
* South: Barranco and Santiago de Surco
* West: Pacific Ocean
The district is divided into 50 neighborhoods (Spanish: urbanizaciones)
Climate
Miraflores has a marine climate, characterized by mild, humid, and comfortable conditions. Temperatures oscillate from 13 °C (55 °F) to 18 °C (64 °F) in winter, and from 20 °C (68 °F) to 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. Low clouds are frequent, especially during winter, when morning drizzles are not uncommon. Heavy rain is almost unseen.

## Demographics

According to the 2017 national census done by the INEI, the district has 99,337 inhabitants and a population density of 10,326 persons per km$^2$ (26,744 persons per sq mile). Miraflores has a high Human Development Index at 0.986 and the lowest population living below the poverty line in Lima at 1.80%. Along with its northern neighbor, San Isidro, Miraflores is inhabited primarily by upper-class residents and is consistently listed as one of the most expensive districts in the country.

## Culture and education

The district has a pre-Inca mud-brick temple called the Huaca Pucllana, one of a number of archeological sites found in Lima.
Miraflores had 128 private schools and 12 public schools in 2010.

## Sister cities

* Pensacola, FL, since 1964, through the efforts of Captain Harold Grow
* Las Condes, CL
* Santa Barbara, CA since March, 2023
* Shibuya District, Tokyo, Japan since 8 July 2024