San Martín de Porres' Birthplace House in Lima Highlights Afro‑Peruvian Heritage

San Martín de Porres (1579‑1639), born in Lima, is the first black saint of the Americas and is venerated as the “Santo de la Escoba” for his humility and service to the poor. The colonial residence where he was born, known as the Casa de San Martín de Porres, stands in the Cercado district of Lima. Built with neoclassical façade elements, the house was declared a Cultural Heritage Property in 1945.

Today the house functions as the Casa Hogar San Martín de Porres, a social‑service center run by the Dominican Order and local volunteers. It provides free meals, medical consultations, geriatric care, dentistry, cardiology, psychology, and literacy programs for children and the elderly, continuing the saint’s legacy of charity.