Arequipa

Arequipa, the capital of both Arequipa Province and the Department of Arequipa, lies in southern Peru. It holds the Constitutional Court of Peru and carries the nickname "Legal Capital of Peru." The city sits on both sides of the Chili River within the Arequipa or Chili valley, with the Andes rising to the north and east, and low coastal hills bordering the south and west.

The settlement was founded on August 15, 1540, under the name "Villa Hermosa de Nuestra Señora de la Asunta de Arequipa." A royal decree from Charles V, issued on September 25, 1541, elevated it to the status of "City of Arequipa." During the viceregal period, its economic importance and loyalty to the Spanish crown made it a significant center.

Today, Arequipa is Peru’s second-most industrialized city and a major economic hub. In 2024, the Department of Arequipa posted a nominal GDP of S/31.458 billion and a per capita GDP of S/19,593, ranking as the country’s second-largest regional economy—a figure that largely reflects the city’s own economic weight. A 2015 study estimated the city’s GDP at US$9.445 billion. Its industries include manufactured goods, textiles from camelid wool, and the production and sale of copper and molybdenum concentrates. The city trades with Chile, Bolivia, and Brazil, and is linked by the Southern Railway to the port of Matarani, as well as to Cusco and Puno.

After independence, Arequipa grew in political and economic influence. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, it served as a counterbalance to Lima’s centralized power, often acting as a "second capital." It was the site of more than seven uprisings or revolutions between independence and 1850, and twice hosted the national government. During Salaverry’s coup, President Luis José de Orbegoso set up his government there starting January 13, 1835. Later, on August 31, 1882, during the war with Chile, President Lizardo Montero declared Arequipa the capital of Peru and convened a National Congress on April 28, 1883.

In 2000, UNESCO designated 332 hectares of Arequipa’s historic center a World Heritage Site. Its historical and monumental heritage, along with its scenic and cultural spaces, draws national and international tourists. Within the historic area, viceregal and republican religious architecture blends Spanish and Indigenous features into a local style called the "Arequipan School," which influenced architecture as far as Potosí.

The origin of the name "Arequipa" has several hypotheses. One links it to the Puquina language, spoken by the region’s earliest inhabitants before Aymara speakers arrived. Under this view, the original form was *Are-quiapi*. The main Puquina urban center, Kasa-Patak, was discovered in 1942, and much local place-naming is thought to derive from that language. Researcher Bernardo Málaga, who supported this, argued that later Aymara and Quechua versions were less likely. The best-known legend credits Inca Mayta Cápac: when he allowed his subjects to settle in the Chili valley, he supposedly said *Ari qipay* or *Are quepay* (Quechua: "Yes, stay"). This version was recorded by Father Calancha and translated by J. Ignacio Gamio. Other proposals suggest an Aymara origin. Father Blas Valera, cited by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, thought the name came from *ari qquepan* or *are quepa*, referring to a sea shell used as a war trumpet. Historian Ernst Middendorf argued it derived from the Aymara *ari qhipaya* or *ariq qipa*, meaning "behind the peak," in reference to the Misti volcano.

The city flag displays the coat of arms on a crimson field. The exact shade was debated by historians in the 1940s. Several scholarly publications tried to settle the matter. Historians Francisco Mostajo and Víctor M. Barriga confirmed the crimson color, rejecting the blue version reconstructed by historian Víctor Benavente (which matched the color used in city sports). On September 2, 1940, Mostajo wrote to the mayor insisting on his position, citing the *Acta de la jura del Rey Carlos III* of August 11, 1788. On September 23 of that year, Father Barriga published in the Catholic newspaper *El Deber* a document describing the royal standard of Arequipa as found in the *Acta* of September 3, 1789. Both documents confirm the standard is crimson and originates from a colonial royal standard.

The coat of arms features a griffin holding a flag inscribed "Carlos V" or "Del rey." It was granted to the city on September 25, 1541, by a royal decree from Charles V. Peruvian traditionalist Ricardo Palma, in *Tradiciones Peruanas*, offered an interpretation of the elements, citing a chronicler versed in heraldry in the tradition "El ahijado de la providencia."

The city’s anthem is the *Himno del IV Centenario*.