{{Short description|Quinta in Lima, Peru}} {{Infobox building | name = Quinta Heeren | alternate_names = | image = Plaza de la Quinta Heeren (Panorámica).jpg | image_caption = Main Square | location = [[Barrios Altos]] | inauguration_date = | years_built = {{circa}} 1880–1890 | address = [[Jirón Junín]] 1201 | floor_count = | number_of_rooms = | owner = [[Metropolitan Municipality of Lima]]<br>Heeren–Pardo family {{small|(to 2025)}} | architect = Óscar Heeren }} The '''Quinta Heeren''' is a [[Quinta (estate)|traditional residential estate]] in [[Barrios Altos]], a neighbourhood of [[Lima]], Peru. Located within the city's [[Historic Centre of Lima|historic centre]], it occupies a total area of about 36.000 [[Square metre|m{{sup|2}}]].<ref name=RPP>{{Cite news |title=La Quinta Heeren: ¿Por qué el terror invadió este lugar? |url=https://rpp.pe/cultura/mas-cultura/la-quinta-heeren-por-que-el-terror-invadio-este-lugar-noticia-1010472 |date=2016-11-16 |work=[[RPP Noticias]]}}</ref> One of the city's first private condominiums, it is named after German–Peruvian merchant Óscar Heeren (originally written ''Oskar''), who commissioned and oversaw its construction during the late 19th century.
The estate was built in the [[Austria–Hungary|Austro-Hungarian]] variety of the [[Historicism (art)|historicist style]], with [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] and [[Eclecticism in architecture|eclectic]] influences,<ref name=Orrego2013>{{Cite book |title=Lima 1. El corazón de la ciudad |last=Orrego |first=Juan Luis |publisher=Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Perú |year=2013 |isbn=978-612-4162-09-1 |pages=221 |language=es |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PrxmMLoRRRAC}}</ref> with local architect Héctor Velarde adding that its architecture is "of a fine [[Neoclassical architecture|neo-classical style]]." Features include a main square, narrow streets, and gardens adorned with vases and sculptures. It was formerly the site of a [[zoo]] and a tennis court, both being the first of their kind in the city, as well as the site of different legations during the early 20th century.<ref name=RPP/>
== History == Originally called ''Quinta del Carmen'' due to its proximity to the [[Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Lima|church of the same name]] in [[Barrios Altos]], and inspired by the ''[[Parc Monceau]]'' in Paris, it was promoted by the German merchant Óscar Antonio Federico Augusto Heeren Massa (1840–1919).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blog.pucp.edu.pe/blog/labibliotecamarquense/2012/08/19/el-mausoleo-de-oscar-heeren-en-el-cementerio-presbitero-maestro/ |title=El Mausoleo de Óscar Heeren en el Cementerio Presbítero Maestro |date=2012-08-19 |website=[[Pontifical Catholic University of Peru|Blog PUCP]] |last=Romero Priddat |first=Michael}}</ref> It was built in the [[Austria–Hungary|Austro-Hungarian]] variety of the [[Historicism (art)|historicist style]], with [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] and [[Eclecticism in architecture|eclectic]] influences.<ref name=Orrego2013/> Architect {{ill|Héctor Velarde|es|Héctor Velarde Bergmann}} wrote about the place:
{{quote|Its exceptional isolation in a shady backwater of old Lima has kept it intact as a small neighborhood of Victorian times... The architecture is of a very fine [[Neoclassical architecture|neo-classicism]] with smooth and clear cloths.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Itinerarios de Lima |last=Velarde |first=Héctor |publisher=Asociación Artística y Cultural "Jueves" |year=1971 |language=es |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OlTrAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>|author=Héctor Velarde}}
Once its construction was completed, it was occupied by Óscar Heeren, relatives, and close friends, among them his son-in-law, the Peruvian politician [[José Pardo y Barreda]]. It is through the latter that the succession of owners remained in this family until 2025.<ref name=Llerena2025>{{Cite news |title=¿Cuál es la verdadera historia de la Quinta Heeren y por qué hay tanta misterio sobre ella? |last=Llerena |first=Paula |date=2025-01-27 |url=https://trome.com/familia/cual-es-la-historia-de-la-famosa-quinta-heeren-municipalidad-de-lima-historia-casonas-lima-antigua-rafael-lopez-aliaga-imp-noticia/ |work=[[Trome]]}}</ref> An estimate puts the number of families that inhabited the place at about 300.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Redescubriendo Lima: guía para hacer turismo en tu propia ciudad |last=Díaz |first=Carolina |date=2019-05-28 |url=https://www.canalipe.gob.pe/noticias/identidad/redescubriendo-lima-guia-para-hacer-turismo-en-tu-propia-ciudad |work=[[Canal IPe]]}}</ref> Famous inhabitants of this period include artist [[Teófilo Castillo]] and archaeologist [[Max Uhle]].<ref name=Palma2022/>
The Quinta originally featured a [[zoo]] and a tennis court, both being the first of their kind in the city,<ref name=RPP/> as well as an artificial lagoon with swans.<ref name=Palma2022>{{Cite news |title=La fatídica historia de la Quinta Heeren, uno de los condominios de mayor valor histórico de Lima |last=Palma |first=Prince |date=2022-08-01 |url=https://larepublica.pe/datos-lr/respuestas/2022/08/01/quinta-heeren-cual-es-la-fatidica-historia-de-uno-de-los-primeros-condominios-limenos-barrios-altos-chabuca-granda-atmp |work=[[La República]]}}</ref> From 1901 to 1940, it housed the diplomatic missions of [[Empire of Japan|Japan]], [[Belgium]], [[German Empire|Germany]], [[French Third Republic|France]] and the [[United States]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=El prometido regreso a la vida de tres casonas históricas de Lima |url=https://elcomercio.pe/lima/el-prometido-regreso-a-la-vida-de-tres-casonas-historicas-de-lima-lima-casona-centro-de-lima-centro-cultural-municipalidad-de-lima-barrios-altos-cultura-historia-centro-de-lima-noticia/ |last=Cayetano |first=José |date=2023-06-19 |work=[[El Comercio (Peru)|El Comercio]]}}</ref>
During the 1940s, new buildings were constructed in the terrains close to Maynas Street.<ref name=LaR2022>{{Cite news |title=Quinta Heeren: esta es la misteriosa historia de la casona de Barrios Altos |date=2022-06-03 |url=https://larepublica.pe/datos-lr/respuestas/2022/05/31/quinta-heeren-conoce-la-tenebrosa-historia-de-la-casona-de-barrios-altos-historia-y-secretos-ubicacion-evat |work=[[La República]]}}</ref> The same decade also saw the death of Pochola, a [[condor]] that was run over by [[Lima Tramway|a trolley]] after escaping from the premises, after which it was embalmed and displayed in one of the houses due to the residents' emotional attachment to it.<ref name=Llerena2025/>
=== Suicide of Seiguma Kitsutani === A number of wealthy [[Japanese Peruvians|Japanese immigrants]] had established significant presence in the area starting in the 1920s. One of them was Seiguma Kitsutani, who arrived to the country in 1901 to work as a merchant. Kitsutani had set up a store at [[Jirón Ica|Plateros de San Agustín]], a street in [[Historic Centre of Lima|central Lima]]. He was described at the time of his death as a merchant who had brought novelties of Japan's manufacturing industry to the country. As president of the Japanese community, he gifted the [[Monument to Manco Cápac]] to commemorate [[Centennial of the Independence of Peru|the country's centennial]].<ref name=Loli2015>{{Cite news |title=El suicidio del señor Kitsutani en la Quinta Heeren |url=https://elcomercio.pe/blog/huellasdigitales/2015/02/el-suicidio-del-senor-kitsutani-en-la-quinta-heeren/ |last=Loli Soto |first=Pamela |date=2015-02-27 |work=[[El Comercio (Peru)|El Comercio]]}}</ref>
Following an earthquake that affected [[Kyoto]], his business gradually declined and, facing complains and an increasing debt, Kitsutani [[Seppuku|commited suicide]] at a room in chalet No. 3, where he was a guest since 1915,<ref name=Palma2022/> on February 24, 1928. He was found on his knees surrounded by blood.<ref name=Loli2015/> A friend of his declared to local newspaper ''[[El Comercio (Peru)|El Comercio]]'' that the actions undertaken by him were carried out to atone for his acts. Then-president [[Augusto B. Leguía]] commemorated Kitsutani, calling him a friend.<ref name=RPP/><ref name=Loli2015/>
=== Later history === The [[1970 Ancash earthquake|earthquake of 1970]] began the estate's decline.<ref name=Palma2022/> It was later declared a [[Cultural heritage of Peru|cultural heritage monument]] in 1972.<ref name=Llerena2025/> The decade also saw the appearance of the estate's new inhabitants, who would change its traditional character to one described as more "popular," [[Música criolla|creole]] and bucolic. Some of them would later become well-known in the cultural sphere, such as musician {{ill|Chino Domínguez|es}}, radio announcer {{ill|Humberto Martínez Morosini|es}} and sports journalist {{ill|Eduardo San Román|es}}.<ref name=Palma2022/> In 2006,<ref name=Palma2022/> local authorities began a process to vacate the premises, completed in 2010. In 2016, the 13-building estate was declared uninhabitable, with the owners at the time being unable to cover the expenses to maintain the premises.<ref name=Palma2022/><ref>{{Cite news |title=La MML busca la restauración de tres inmuebles del Centro Histórico de Lima |date=2025-02-05 |url=https://www.munlima.gob.pe/2025/02/05/la-mml-busca-la-restauracion-de-tres-inmuebles-del-centro-historico-de-lima/ |work=[[Metropolitan Municipality of Lima|Municipalidad de Lima]]}}</ref>
The estate was purchased by the [[Metropolitan Municipality of Lima]] on October 10, 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |title=MML restaurará la Quinta Heeren para convertirla en nuevo pulmón de Barrios Altos |date=2025-10-09 |url=https://andina.pe/agencia/noticia-mml-restaurara-quinta-heeren-para-convertirla-nuevo-pulmon-barrios-altos-1047831.aspx |work=[[Andina (news agency)|Andina]]}}</ref> Prior to its purchase, it was owned by Inversiones Quinta Heeren S.A.,<ref name=Alonzo>{{Cite news |title=La lucha de los inquilinos de la Quinta Heeren |last=Alonzo C. |first=Consuelo |date=2008-09-23 |url=http://www.larepublica.com.pe/content/view/245528/30/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926020204/http://www.larepublica.com.pe/content/view/245528/30/ |archive-date=2008-09-26 |work=[[La República]]}}</ref> a company owned by the Pardo Escandón family, descendants of [[José Pardo y Barreda]], who married his first cousin Carmen Heeren Barreda, daughter of Oscar Heeren.<ref name=Palma2022/> José (b. 1903), the second of the couple's seven children, lived in the Quinta until his old age.<ref name=Alonzo/>
On January 21, 2026, mayor [[Renzo Reggiardo]] announced the beginning of the estate's recovery efforts during a ceremony at its main square.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Quinta Heeren inicia su recuperación como ícono cultural de Lima |date=2026-01-21 |url=https://caretas.pe/nacional/quinta-heeren-inicia-su-recuperacion-como-icono-cultural-de-lima/ |work=[[Caretas]]}}</ref>
== In popular culture == The estate was the subject of ''Quinta Heeren de noche'', a painting by {{ill|Víctor Humareda|es}} commissioned by the [[Central Reserve Bank of Peru]]. It was the last painting by Humareda, who died shortly after its completion in 1986.<ref name=Palma2022/><ref>{{Cite news |title=Víctor Humareda: Los lugares históricos de Lima en las obras del pintor puneño |date=2025-11-21 |url=https://www.peruinforma.com/victor-humareda-los-lugares-de-lima-en-las-obras-del-pintor-puneno/ |work=Perú Informa}}</ref> It has also served as a filming location for a number of TV programmes, including ''La Perricholi''<ref name=LaR2022/> and ''El último bastión''.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Se estrenó 'El último bastión', la serie peruana sobre la Independencia del Perú |date=2019-08-24 |url=https://peru21.pe/cultura/bastion-estreno-serie-peruana-independencia-peru-video-446439-noticia/ |work=[[Perú.21]]}}</ref>
== Gallery == <gallery class="center"> Quinta-Heeren-Lima-Peru-Postcard-1908.jpg|The Quinta in 1908 Legación de Francia Quinta Heeren (cropped).jpg|[[Embassy of France, Lima|Legation of France]] Legación Americana, Quinta Heeren (cropped).jpg|[[Embassy of the United States, Lima|Legation of the U.S.]] Legaciones de Alemania y Bélgica, Quinta Heeren.jpg|Legations of [[Embassy of Germany, Lima|Germany]] and Belgium </gallery>
==See also== *[[Historic Centre of Lima]] *[[Quinta Leuro]] *[[Quinta de Presa]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL1hNkZBUBg Sucedió en el Perú (TV Perú) – La Quinta Heeren – 22/10/2018] (YouTube) {{Landmarks in Lima}} {{Authority control|qid=Q6095043}}
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[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lima]] [[Category:Quintas in Peru]] [[Category:Barrios Altos]]