{{Short description|Cultural heritage site in Peru}} {{Infobox station | name = Estación de Desamparados | type = [[Commuter rail|Commuter]] and [[Regional rail|Regional]] rail | image = [[File:Lima_gare.jpg|250px]] | image_caption = The station in 2018. | address = [[Jirón Áncash]] 15001, [[Lima]], [[Peru]] | coordinates = {{coord|12|02|40|S|77|01|43|W|}} | owned = [[Government of Peru]] | line = [[Ferrocarril Central Andino]] | platform = | tracks = 1 | other = | structure = | depth = | levels = | parking = | bicycle = | accessible = | code = | zone = | opened = 1870 | closed = | rebuilt = 1912 | electrified = | former = | mpassengers = | passengers = | pass_system = | pass_year = | pass_percent = | services = | image_size = | baggage_check = }} '''Desamparados station''' ({{langx|es|Estación de Desamparados}}) is a [[railway station]] in [[Lima]], [[Peru]]. It is situated on the southern margin of the [[Rímac River]], next to the [[Government Palace (Peru)|Government Palace]], at the intersection of [[Jirón Áncash|Áncash]] and [[Jirón Carabaya|Carabaya]] streets. The station was named after the [[Church of Our Lady of the Forsaken, Lima|Church of Our Lady of the Forsaken]], which stood next to the station until 1937. The project began in 1890 by the [[Peruvian Corporation]] and three years later the Lima–La Oroya route was inaugurated. The line became known as the [[Ferrocarril Central Andino]].
The '''House of Peruvian Literature''' ({{langx|es|'''Casa de la Literatura Peruana'''}}), a museum dedicated to [[Peruvian literature]], was inaugurated in 2009, occupying most of the building. As of 2025, the station only has an administrative use, although it regularly offers passenger services between Lima and [[Huancayo]]. It also serves as an exhibition hall, exhibiting such items as the presidential wagon "Paquita", named in honor of the wife of the then President of the Republic [[Oscar R. Benavides]].
== History == [[File:Desamparados1880.jpg|thumb|left|The original station in 1880.]] The three-storey building was the first public work conducted by the Peruvian architect [[Rafael Marquina (Peruvian architect)|Rafael Marquina]] in 1911, and its construction was finished a year later. In the process of its construction modern materials and techniques were used such as [[reinforced concrete]] and [[expanded metal]].<ref>Jiménez, Luis and Santiváñez, Miguel. ''Rafael Marquina'', p. 57.</ref> One of the main features to the interior is the [[stained glass]] skylight, made in the [[Art Nouveau]] style. The main facade is [[symmetry|symmetrical]] and consists of five vertical bodies divided by four [[pilaster]]s of classical design. The facade is designed in [[Beaux-Arts architecture]] style.<ref>Jiménez, Luis and Santiváñez, Miguel. ''Rafael Marquina'', p. 54.</ref>
Under the [[Revolutionary Government of the Armed Forces of Peru|military government]] of [[Juan Velasco Alvarado]], the [[Peruvian Corporation]] was taken over by [[Empresa Nacional de Ferrocarriles del Perú|ENAFER]], a state-owned company. ENAFER continued to operate the service until it was privatised in the 1990s, and the station was handed over to the [[Ministry of Transport and Communications (Peru)|Ministry of Transport, Communications, Housing and Construction]] in 1999.
A museum dedicated to [[Peruvian literature]] was created by Supreme Decree N° 007-2008-ED, and inaugurated at the station by President [[Alan García]] on 20 October 2009.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://letralia.com/221/1020casa.htm |title=Presidente Alan García inaugura la Casa de la Literatura Peruana |trans-title=President Alan García Inaugurates the House of Peruvian Literature |work=Letralia |number=221 |language=Spanish |date=9 November 2009 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> Architect Juan Carlos Burga was commissioned to design the museographic work. The architect David Mutal was in charge of maintaining the validity and sobriety of the station's architecture.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://archivo.peru21.pe/noticia/363262/auspicioso-debut-casa-literatura-peruana |title=La Casa de la Literatura Peruana tuvo un auspicioso debut |trans-title=The House of Peruvian Literature Has an Auspicious Debut |work=[[Perú.21]] |language=Spanish |date=2 November 2009 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref>
Since 2010, the museum has bestowed an award named after it, first awarded to [[Mario Vargas Llosa]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Mario Vargas Llosa fue premiado en la Casa de la Literatura Peruana |date=2010-12-16 |url=https://www.casadelaliteratura.gob.pe/mario-vargas-llosa-fue-premiado-en-la-casa-de-la-literatura-peruana/ |work=Casa de la Literatura Peruana}}</ref> Among the pieces on display is the presidential wagon "Paquita", ordered to be built in honor of the wife of then-President [[Óscar R. Benavides]].
Having reopened after the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Peru|COVID-19 pandemic]], the station currently operates a bi-annual service of the [[Ferrocarril Central Andino]] (FCA) during [[Semana Santa|Holy Week]] and the [[Fiestas Patrias (Peru)|National Holidays]]. In 2025, the announced an additional service, coinciding with the celebrations of the [[Battle of Junín]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Tren Lima-Huancayo partió con más de 300 pasajeros en recorrido por Fiestas Patrias: ¿Cuándo será la próxima salida? |last=Espinoza |first=Analí |date=2025-07-26 |url=https://www.infobae.com/peru/2025/07/26/tren-lima-huancayo-partio-con-mas-de-300-pasajeros-en-recorrido-por-fiestas-patrias-cuando-sera-la-proxima-salida/ |work=[[Infobae]]}}</ref>
As of July 2025, a project for a railway connecting Lima and [[Lurigancho-Chosica|Chosica]] is underway, involving Desamparados, as well as nearby Monserrate station, where a number of trains donated by [[Caltrain]] have been stored to be used in the future.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Tren Lima-Chosica llegará solo hasta la Estación Desamparados en su fase inicial, dice MML: ¿cómo operará y en qué horarios? |last=Milla Loo |first=Wendy |date=2025-07-14 |url=https://rpp.pe/politica/actualidad/tren-lima-chosica-partira-de-chosica-hasta-la-estacion-desamparados-en-su-ruta-inicial-y-tendra-siete-estaciones-aun-por-definir-dice-mml-noticia-1646048 |work=[[RPP Noticias]]}}</ref>
In episode 8 "Comfort Food" of US TV series ''[[Pushing Daisies]]'' (second season), a photograph of the front of the Desamparados station is used as the Papen County Convention Center where the piemaker is competing in the comfort food cook-off.{{cn|date=July 2025}}
==See also== *[[Ferrocarril Central Andino]]
== References == {{reflist}}
== Citations == *{{cite book|last1=Jiménez Campos| first1=Luis| last2=Santiváñez Pimentel| first2=Miguel|title=Rafael Marquina|year= 2005|location=Lima| publisher=Instituto de Investigación de la Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Artes (UNI, Perú) de la Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería|isbn=9972-794-09-1}}
== External links == * [http://www.casadelaliteratura.gob.pe/ The House of Peruvian Literature] {{in lang|es}}
{{commonscat|Desamparados railway station}}
{{coord|12.0444|S|77.0286|W|source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:PE|display=title}}
{{Landmarks in Lima}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lima]] [[Category:Railway stations in Peru opened in 1912]] [[Category:Beaux-Arts architecture]] [[Category:Neoclassical architecture in Peru]] [[Category:Art Nouveau architecture in Peru]] [[Category:Art Nouveau railway stations]] [[Category:Historic Centre of Lima]]