View source for Piura

{{Short description|City in Peru}}
{{About|the city of Piura|other uses|Piura (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Piura
| other_name         = San Miguel de Piura
| native_name        = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nicknames           = ''La Primera Ciudad'' <br> (The First City)<br>''La Ciudad del Eterno Calor'' <br> (The City of The Eternal Heat)
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border            = infobox
| perrow            = 1/2/2/1
| total_width       = 290
| caption_align     = center
| image1            = PLAZA DE ARMAS DE PIURA - PIURA.jpg
| caption1          = Saint Michael the Archangel Cathedral
| image2            = Edificio Gobierno.jpg
| caption2          = Piura University
| image3            = Estadio-miguel-grau-piura-entrada-occidente.jpg
| caption3          = Miguel Grau Stadium
| image4            = Óvalo Miguel Grau piura.jpg
| caption4          = Miguel Grau Oval
| image5            = Edificis del jirón Tacna de Piura.jpg
| caption5          = A street for Hotel Tacna
| image6            = MINISTRO NIETO VIAJÓ A PIURA PARA SUPERVISAR LA RESPUESTA DEL SECTOR DEFENSA Y LAS FFAA ANTE LA EMERGENCIA (33008722853).jpg
| caption6          = Piura River and Barrio Norte area's panorama
}}
| image_flag         = Bandera de Piura.svg
| flag_size          = 125px
| image_seal         = Escudo ciudad de Piura.svg
| seal_size          = 
| image_shield       = 
| shield_size        = 
| image_blank_emblem = 
| blank_emblem_size  = 
| image_map          = 
| mapsize            = 150px
| map_caption        = Location in Peru
| pushpin_map        = Peru#South America#World
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Peru##Location within South America##Location within Earth
| pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| mapframe           = Yes
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Peru]]
| subdivision_type1  = Region
| subdivision_name1  = [[Piura Region|Piura]]
| subdivision_type2  = Province
| subdivision_name2  = [[Piura Province|Piura]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Alcalde
| leader_name        = Gabriel Madrid <br><small>(2023-2026)</small>
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1532
| area_magnitude     = 
| unit_pref          = <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 621.2
| area_urban_km2     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 2020
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref>{{cite report |url=http://proyectos.inei.gob.pe/web/biblioineipub/bancopub/Est/Lib1020/cuadros/c0206.xls |title=Perú: Población estimada al 30 de junio y tasa de crecimiento de las ciudades capitales, por departamento, 2011 y 2015 |work=Perú: Estimaciones y proyecciones de población total por sexo de las principales ciudades, 2012-2015 |publisher=Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática |date=March 2012 |access-date=2015-06-03}}</ref>
| population_est     = 630,000
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_footnotes = 
| population_note    = 
| settlement_type    = City
| population_total   = 630,244
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_urban   = 
| population_urban_footnotes = 
| population_density_urban_km2 = 
| timezone           = [[UTC]]/[[GMT]]-5
| utc_offset         = 
| timezone_DST       = 
| utc_offset_DST     = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|5|12|S|80|38|W|region:PE|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use<ref> </ref> tags-->
| elevation_m        = 55
| postal_code_type   = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
| postal_code        = 
| area_code          = 73
| website            = [http://www.munipiura.gob.pe munipiura.gob.pe]
| footnotes          = 
| founder            = [[Francisco Pizarro]]
| population_demonym = Piurano
| population_rank    = 7th
| population_density_sq_mi = 1675
}}
'''Piura''' is a city in northwestern [[Peru]], located north of the [[Sechura Desert]] along the [[Piura River]]. It is the capital of the [[Piura Region]] and the [[Piura Province]].<ref>[http://www.travelsradiate.com/south-america/republic-of-peru/departamento-de-piura/3693525-departamento-de-piura.html "Departamento de Piura"], ''travelsradiate.com'', accessed 25 March 2011.</ref> Its population was 484,475 as of 2017 and it is the 7th most populous city in Peru. The city is located in the central eastern part of the Piura Region, 981 kilometers from the country's capital, [[Lima]] and is near to the border with [[Ecuador]].

It was here that Spanish [[Conquistador|Conqueror]] [[Francisco Pizarro]] founded the third Spanish city in South America and first in Peru, under the name of ''San Miguel de la [[Nueva Castilla]]'' ([[English language|en]]: Saint Michael of [[Governorate of New Castile|New Castile]])<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elías |first=Pavel |date=2016-01-18 |title=La Historia de San Miguel de Piura a lo largo de "El Tiempo" - UDEP Hoy |url=https://www.udep.edu.pe/hoy/2016/01/la-historia-de-san-miguel-de-piura-a-lo-largo-de-el-tiempo/ |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=Universidad de Piura (UDEP) |language=es}}</ref> in the [[Tallán]] settlement of [[Tangarará]] on July<ref name=Hemming>Hemming, J., 1970, The Conquest of the Incas, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., {{ISBN|0151225605}}</ref>{{rp|27}} or August<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.piuraperu.org/historia.html|title = Historia de Piura}}</ref> of 1532. Piura declared its independence from Spain on 4 January 1821, a few months before Peru gained its independence on 28 July 1821.<ref>{{cite book |title=[[South American Handbook|The South American Handbook]] |last=Box |first=Ben |year=2004 |publisher=[[Footprint Books|Footprint Travel Guides]] |isbn=978-1-903471-70-8 |page=1132 |edition=80}}</ref> It is the commercial and administrative center of the [[Department of Piura]].

== Symbols ==

=== Coat of arms ===
The coat of arms of Piura was created by the [[Monarchy of Spain|Spanish Crown]] on December 7, 1537, through the Royal Decree signed in [[Valladolid]] by [[Emperor Charles V]]. It is used to identify both the city of Piura, as well as the district and province of the same name.

=== Anthem ===
The Piura anthem was composed in 1932 by Enrique del Carmen Ramos Briceño, at the request of the Colegio Nuestra Señora de Lourdes. Professor San Carlos was in charge of composing the music.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-03 |title=Himno a Piura |url=https://www.gob.pe/34815-himno-a-piura |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=www.gob.pe |language=es-pe}}</ref>

== Etymology and toponymy ==
The name ''Piura'', probably of [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|indigenous]] origin, remains uncertain and requires proper [[linguistic reconstruction]]. Enrique del Carmen Ramos Briceño suggested that it derives from the [[Quechuan languages|Quechua]] word ''Pirhua'', meaning “supply deposit” or “granary”. However, according to [[Linguistics|linguist]] Carlos Arrizabalaga, Quechua more commonly uses the terms ''[[colca]]'', ''collcca'', or ''[[qullqa]]''. Based on this, Ramos Briceño argued that Piura may have been a provisioning point or ''pirhua'' along the [[Inca road system|''Qhapaq Ñan'']] of the [[Inca Empire|Incas]].<ref name=":2">{{cite web |last=Arrizabalaga Lizárraga |first=Carlos |date=18 December 2012 |title=El nombre de Piura |url=https://www.udep.edu.pe/hoy/2012/12/el-nombre-de-piura/ |access-date=10 September 2025 |website=University of Piura (UDEP) |publisher=Universidad de Piura (UDEP) |language=es |location=Piura}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Arrizabalaga |first=Carlos |title=Los nombres de Piura |date=2023 |publisher=Cortarrama |isbn=978-612-49004-2-6 |edition=Primera edición |series=Serie Flor del Faique |location=Piura, Perú |language=es}}</ref>

Arrizabalaga, together with researchers Martos and Mendoza, questioned this interpretation. He noted that the traditional local practice in the region was to store grains in large clay jars (''tinajas'') buried beneath the salty sands of the [[dune]]s. The earliest mention of ''Piura'' appears in 1535, when [[Francisco de Jerez]] referred to the valley of the [[Piura River]], not to a settlement. [[Cristóbal de Mena]] later mentioned a town by that name, though not the present city. In 1553, [[Pedro Cieza de León]] again used the name ''Piura'' in reference to the river valley. The first known mention of ''San Miguel de Piura'' comes from a letter dated 1554, while in 1570 [[Juan de Salinas y Loyola]] referred to the city in the valley of the same name, remarking that the word had no known meaning. Given this chronology, the term ''Piura'' likely originated from the name of the [[Piura River]] or its valley and became associated with the settlement after its refoundation at [[Piura La Vieja|''Piura "La Vieja"'']] following the abandonment of ''San Miguel de [[Tangarará]]''.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4">{{cite web |last=Mendoza Palacios |first=Rudy |date=21 March 2010 |title=Lingüística prehispánica de Piura: Piura |url=https://arqueolinguistica.blogspot.com/2010/03/piura.html |access-date=10 September 2025 |website=Arqueolinguistica |language=es |location=Piura}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite web |last=Mendoza Palacios |first=Rudy |date=21 March 2010 |title=Lingüística prehispánica de Piura: La toponimia prehispánica de Piura |url=https://arqueolinguistica.blogspot.com/2010/03/la-toponimia-prehispanica-de-piura.html |access-date=10 September 2025 |website=Arqueolinguistica |language=es |location=Piura}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

Mendoza, also cited by Arrizabalaga, along with Martos, emphasized that the predominant [[Ethnic group|ethnic substratum]] in the ''lower'' and ''middle Piura'' region was [[Tallán]], noting that [[Chimú Empire|Chimú]] control was primarily administrative and [[Inca Empire|Inca]] rule lasted barely fifty years. They argue that the word ''Piura'' is instead connected to the [[Sechura–Catacao languages|Sechura-Catacao languages]], which included: [[Sechura language|sec or sechura]] and the subgroup of the [[Tallán language|Tallan or Catacoan languages]] such as [[Chira language|Chira]], [[Colán language|Colán]], and [[Catacao language|Catacao]]. The scholars suggest that the toponymic [[suffix]] /-ura/ may be linked to [[Sechura–Catacao languages|these languages]] and associated with water, since similar endings recur in coastal and riverine place names such as ''[[Sechura]]'', ''Nunura'', ''Casura'', ''Pisura'', ''Lalura'', ''[[Máncora|Mancura]]'', ''Congora'', and ''Pillacura''.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" />

==History==
=== Pre-columbian era ===
Like most of northern Peru, the territory of Piura has been inhabited by their autochthonous group of natives called ''[[Tallán|tallanes]]'' and ''[[Moche culture|yungas]]''. These groups lived without an organization or single leader to rule until the [[Muchik]] culture eventually took control, and the mixture of these evolved into the [[Vicús culture]]. The [[Chimor]], [[Moche culture|Moche]] and [[Wari Empire]] used to occupy the area surrounding the city. Centuries later, Piura came under the rule of [[Tupac Inca Yupanqui]] of the [[Inca Empire]] for at least 40 years before the Spanish arrived.

=== Colonial era ===
[[File:Retrato de la fundación española de San Miguel de Tangarará.jpg|left|thumb|Painting of the founding of San Miguel de Tangarará]]
Francisco Pizarro came to the area and established it as the third Spanish city in South America, and Spain's first city in Peru, known as San Miguel de Tangarará.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Narrative_of_the_Proceedings_of_Pedrarias_Davila/Narrative_of_Pascual_de_Andagoya |title=Narrative of the Proceedings of Pedrarias Davila |first=Pascual de |last=Andagoya |publisher=The Hakluyt Society |access-date=21 June 2019 |via=Wikisource}}</ref> He originally went all the way to what is now [[Tumbes, Peru|Tumbes]] but decided it was not a suitable base for his operations. With the arrival of the Spanish in 1532, the current mestizo and creole cultures of Piura were born. This [[mestizo]] culture includes influences from Spanish [[Extremadura]] and [[Andalucia]]; African influence, owing to the arrival of slaves from Madagascar ([[Malagasy people|Malgache]] slaves); [[Chinese people|Chinese]] [[coolie]]s who migrated from [[Guangdong|Canton]] to work the rice fields and replace the slaves; and also [[Roma Gypsies]] who came as pirates looking for [[pearls]], or incognito as Spanish horsemen. Piura celebrates its founding every 15 of August.

Nowadays, Piura is known as the {{lang|es|Ciudad del eterno calor}}, 'the city of eternal heat', because it is hot all year round.

=== Independence ===
In 1820, with the incursions of Admirals [[Guillermo Brown]] and Cochrane of the liberating expedition of [[José de San Martín]], the Piuran population enthusiastically joined the liberating cause, and on January 4, 1821, the independence of Piura was proclaimed in the atrium of the temple of San Francisco. The proclamation was an feat led by the heroes José de Lama, Tomás Cortés, Baltazar Taboada, Tomás Diéguez, the Seminario brothers and others. Likewise, the Piura division of 1,000 men contributed victoriously to the independence of Quito, taking part in the Battle of Pichincha, on May 24, 1822.

=== Republican era ===
In 1861, the [[Department of Piura]] was created and Piura became the departments capital. The department consisted of three other provinces at the time, [[Piura Province|Piura]], [[Paita Province|Paita]] and [[Ayabaca Province|Ayabaca]].

In the 1860s, the city of Piura became more dynamic with the cultivation of [[Pima cotton]], brought by Don Emilio Hilbck from the state of [[Arizona]] in the [[United States]], which promoted the industrialization and development of the city and the region, and strong immigration. of English, German and Spanish, in that order, and to a lesser extent Italians and Chinese, who brought their customs and also their knowledge of commerce and industry. Many Americans also arrived. They quickly incorporated themselves into the social fabric, forming families with local ladies and inevitably creating new tastes and habits. Even Piura's cuisine was enriched. In agriculture, the use of the steam pump and specialized machinery was introduced, allowing more cropland to be irrigated, expanding the network of canals since the success of Piuran cotton in the international market was a great stimulus for agriculture. New industries appeared such as deep-sea fishing by whaling fleets, mass production and export trade of toquilla straw hats from Catacaos and annexes.

Peruvian war hero of the [[War of the Pacific]] against [[Chile]], [[Miguel Grau Seminario]] was born in Piura on July 27, 1834. He became a hero during the naval [[Battle of Angamos]]. According to historians and the Peruvian state, since 2011, they have given the official birthplace of Grau not to Piura but to the port of Paita. Miguel Grau is the most renowned and iconic Peruvian naval officer, being known as ''el Caballero de los Mares'' (Spanish for "Gentleman of the Seas").
[[File:Piura desde el aire.jpg|thumb|Aereal view of Piura]]
In the 1980s, Piura and the department again experienced an ascending and thriving commercial, industrial and socioeconomic development, despite having been devastated in the 1983 disaster, as a consequence of the [[El Niño–Southern Oscillation|El Niño phenomenon]], manifested in torrential rains for six months. that affected its industry, commerce and its urban infrastructure. The El Niño phenomenon that occurred from late 1997 to mid-1998 found the city better prepared, although two of its bridges fell and were subsequently replaced. When it seemed that it was going to be a dry season, in February 2017 it began to rain heavily in what later became known as the coastal Niño phenomenon, and in the early hours of March 27, the river overflowed over the center and northern areas. of the city, causing unforeseen damage, affecting health networks and communication routes.

=== Present ===
Piura is experiencing strong development of its commercial sector with the installation of large shopping centers and department stores in no less than five points of the city considered strategic by investors. Furthermore, in recent years the city has expanded considerably with the creation of new developments and human settlements. Likewise, its industrial sector was also developed with the inauguration of the "Piura Futura" industrial estate, northwest of Piura.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Se inauguró en Piura el nuevo parque industrial de la región norte |url=https://www.naiperu.com/articulo/91/Se-inaugur%C3%B3-en-Piura-el-nuevo-parque-industrial-de-la-regi%C3%B3n-norte |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=NAI PERU |language=es}}</ref>

== Geography==

=== Location ===
[[File:Puente Sánchez Cerro - 2025.jpg|thumb|Puente Sánchez Cerro]]
Piura is located in the central-eastern part of the [[Department of Piura]], in the valley of the Piura River, north of the [[Sechura Desert]]. It is located at a medium-low altitude and at a distance of 858&nbsp;km north of [[Lima]]. Its proximity to the border with Ecuador and its location in a transit zone between the coast and the mountains give it a strategic geographical position. Piura is the main nucleus of the urban agglomeration known as the [[Piura metropolitan area]].

=== Climate ===
The Piura Department has a [[desert climate|desert]] and [[semi-desert climate]] on the coast and the western slopes of the [[Andes]], whereas on the eastern slopes the climate is [[subtropical climate|subtropical]]. Precipitation is sparse except during [[El Niño]] events, when rainfall is abundant and water flows through normally dry watercourses, causing flooding and large-scale land movements.

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Piura ([[FAP Captain Guillermo Concha Iberico International Airport]]) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1932–present)
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|Jan record high C = 37.9
|Feb record high C = 38.4
|Mar record high C = 38.2
|Apr record high C = 39.9
|May record high C = 36.1
|Jun record high C = 35.0
|Jul record high C = 33.2
|Aug record high C = 33.0
|Sep record high C = 34.1
|Oct record high C = 34.0
|Nov record high C = 37.0
|Dec record high C = 36.6
|year record high C = 39.9
|Jan high C = 33.8
|Feb high C = 34.6
|Mar high C = 34.5
|Apr high C = 33.2
|May high C = 31.2
|Jun high C = 29.2
|Jul high C = 28.1
|Aug high C = 28.3
|Sep high C = 29.1
|Oct high C = 29.7
|Nov high C = 30.5
|Dec high C = 32.1
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 28.0
|Feb mean C = 28.9
|Mar mean C = 28.8
|Apr mean C = 27.4
|May mean C = 25.5
|Jun mean C = 23.9
|Jul mean C = 22.9
|Aug mean C = 22.8
|Sep mean C = 23.2
|Oct mean C = 23.6
|Nov mean C = 24.3
|Dec mean C = 26.1
|year mean C =
|Jan low C = 22.1
|Feb low C = 23.3
|Mar low C = 23.1
|Apr low C = 21.5
|May low C = 19.9
|Jun low C = 18.5
|Jul low C = 17.6
|Aug low C = 17.2
|Sep low C = 17.2
|Oct low C = 17.4
|Nov low C = 18.2
|Dec low C = 20.0
|year low C = 
|Jan record low C = 10.0
|Feb record low C = 14.3
|Mar record low C = 16.0
|Apr record low C = 12.2
|May record low C = 10.0
|Jun record low C = 10.0
|Jul record low C = 10.0
|Aug record low C = 10.0
|Sep record low C = 10.5
|Oct record low C = 8.4
|Nov record low C = 11.1
|Dec record low C = 9.8
|year record low C = 8.4
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 16.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 19.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 32.4
|Apr precipitation mm = 24.4
|May precipitation mm = 15.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 5.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 0.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 0.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 1.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 0.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 1.2
|year precipitation mm = 116.4
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 1.8
|Feb precipitation days = 2.3
|Mar precipitation days = 3.7
|Apr precipitation days = 2.6
|May precipitation days = 0.4
|Jun precipitation days = 0.5
|Jul precipitation days = 0.0
|Aug precipitation days = 0.0
|Sep precipitation days = 0.1
|Oct precipitation days = 0.2
|Nov precipitation days = 0.4
|Dec precipitation days = 0.7
|year precipitation days = 12.8
|Jan humidity = 51
|Feb humidity = 55
|Mar humidity = 51
|Apr humidity = 55
|May humidity = 59
|Jun humidity = 66
|Jul humidity = 66
|Aug humidity = 65
|Sep humidity = 64
|Oct humidity = 60
|Nov humidity = 58
|Dec humidity = 56
|year humidity = 59
|source 1 = NOAA,<ref name = NOAA>{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REGIII/PR/84401.TXT |title=Piura Climate Normals 1961–1990 |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200720230135/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REGIII/PR/84401.TXT |archive-date=2020-07-20 |url-status=dead |access-date=4 July 2017}}</ref> Meteo Climat<ref name = meteoclimat>{{cite web |url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1863 |title=Station Capitan Fap |publisher=Météo Climat |language=fr |access-date=4 July 2017}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (precipitation days 1970–2003 and humidity 1955–1969)<ref name = DWD>{{cite web |url=http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_844010_kt.pdf |title=Klimatafel von Piura, Prov. Piura / Peru |work=Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |language=de |access-date=4 July 2017}}</ref>
|date=November 2011
}}

=== Hydrography ===
[[File:Río Piura-2025.jpg|thumb|[[Piura River]]]]
The hydrography of Piura Department is determined mainly by the amount of rainfall originating in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. This rainfall is itself determined by the meeting of two ocean currents on the southern coast of the department, around the bay of [[Sechura]]: the cold [[Humboldt current]] at {{convert|13|-|19|°C}}, and the warm [[El Niño–Southern Oscillation|El Niño]] at {{convert|21|-|27|°C}}. These conditions lead to fluctuations in offshore sea temperatures, which are {{convert|18|-|23|°C}} in winter and spring, and {{convert|23|-|27|°C}} in summer and sometimes in autumn.

The mean annual [[humidity]] is 66%. The mean [[atmospheric pressure]] is 1008.5&nbsp;hPa, while winds are mainly from the north at an average speed of {{convert|3|m/s|abbr=on}}. Annual rainfall varies between {{convert|10|and(-)|200|mm|abbr=on}} at altitudes of {{convert|100|–|500|m}}; between {{convert|200|and(-)|800|mm|abbr=on}} at altitudes of {{convert|500|–|1500|m}}; and averages {{convert|1550|mm|abbr=on}} at altitudes above {{convert|1500|m}}.

Most of the region is arid, with rainfall concentrated in the high Andean areas, while on the wide plains the main water sources are seasonal rivers flowing from the north: the [[Chira River|Chira]] and the Piura. The southern half of the plain consists of the [[Sechura Desert]], which supports herbaceous vegetation.

The main rivers are the Piura, the [[Huancabamba River|Huancabamba]] and the Chira. The reservoir of [[Poechos]] has been created within the course of the Chira. It has a capacity of {{convert|1000000000|m3|L USgal}} and irrigates large portions of the coastal region. The river Quiroz, a tributary of the Piura, supplies the huge artificial lake of San Lorenzo. On the Huancabamba, in the mountains, there is a [[hydroelectric power station]] supplying energy to the region.

== Demographics ==
Piura is the 7th most populous city in Peru, after [[Lima]], [[Arequipa]], [[Trujillo, Peru|Trujillo]], [[Chiclayo]], [[Huancayo]] and [[Iquitos]]. The city has an estimated population of 630,244 according to the census carried out by the [[Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática]] in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Directorio Nacional de Centros Poblados |url=https://www.inei.gob.pe/media/MenuRecursivo/publicaciones_digitales/Est/Lib1541/index.htm}}</ref>

The Metropolitan area of Piura is made up of the urban centers of the districts of Piura, Veintisirse de Octubre, Castilla and Catacaos, with the city of Piura being the main urban nucleus, in accordance with the "Urban Development Plan of the districts of Piura, Twenty-sixth of October, Castilla and Catacaos in 2032".

== Education ==
[[File:Edificio Ingeniería.jpg|thumb|University of Piura]]

=== Universities ===
The city of Piura has a considerable offer in terms of university vocational training centers; The following universities and a recognized Professional Technical School for business training operate there:
* [[Universidad de Piura|University of Piura (UDEP)]]
* [[Universidad Nacional de Piura|National University of Piura (UNP)]]

'''Branches of:'''
*[[Universidad Alas Peruanas|Peruvian Wings University (UAP)]]
*[[Universidad César Vallejo|César Vallejo University (UCV)]]
*[[Universidad de Los Angeles de Chimbote|The Angels of Chimbote University (ULADECH)]]
*[[Antenor Orrego Private University|Antenor Orrego Private University (UPAO)]]
*[[Universidad San Pedro|Saint Peter University (USP)]]

==Tourism==
[[File:Plaza de Armas de Piura.jpg|thumb|Plaza de Armas]]
Piura is known as "the city of eternal heat", its Plaza de Armas is one of the oldest and most beautiful in the country, with s a square Spanish cut. The [[Piura Cathedral]] was built in the viceregal era and preserves its altarpieces and is surrounded by tamarind, ficus, crotos, cucardas, poncianas and papelillos. It is crisscrossed by wide avenues that make it functional. Apart from the market complex, it has several shopping centers, the best known are the Open Plaza, Plaza del Sol, Real Plaza and Plaza de la Luna, as well as modern urbanizations, condominiums in exclusive areas and recreational fields such as country restaurants, soccer fields, tennis, etc.

Piura is one of the top tourist destinations in Peru. One of the best-known tourist attractions in Piura is La Esmeralda beach, known as Colan beach for it is located near the town of Colan. It is a very long beach with warm waters. Local people like to go there during holidays. The airport of the city of Piura, located in the district of Castilla, is the fourth most important destination in the country due to the influx of flights and passengers. Beaches such as Playa Cangrejos, Mancora Beach and Cabo Blanco. Cabo Blanco was made famous by visitor [[Ernest Hemingway]] in 1956, where he supervised the filming of ''[[The Old Man and the Sea (1958 film)|The Old Man and the Sea]]''.<ref>{{cite web |date=8 December 2013 |title=Cabo Blanco ist Hemingways Herbst – Hemingways Welt |url=http://hemingwayswelt.de/cabo-blanco-ist-hemingways-herbst/ |access-date=21 June 2019}}</ref>

==Culture and folklore==

=== Art ===
Piura has an intense cultural and artistic life. It has several museums of religious art, including the Church of Carmen, of pre-Columbian ceramics, particularly of the Vicús civilization, as well as galleries of paintings of its illustrious characters such as Ignacio Merino, Luis Montero, Felipe Cossío del Pomar, Arcadio Boyer Ramírez, and contemporary painters such as Francisco Mauricio, Russbelt Guerra, Julio Cálle, José Zeta, Marcial Farfan, among others. The Ignacio Merino Muñoz Regional School of Fine Arts, the José María Valle Riestra Regional School of Music and the Children's Symphony Orchestra of Piura OSIP (Camerata Académica de Piura) are hotbeds of a plethora of young artists. The Municipal Symphony Orchestra is supported by the Provincial Council of Piura, businessmen and the Piura public that attends each of its presentations. Institutions such as the Regional Association of Plastic Artists of Piura ARAP and the Felipe Cossío del Pomar Association also keep art alive.

Popular crafts from Piura include Chulucana pottery, and Catacaos is famous for its hats and its silversmithing. The small town of Simbila, is very popular for its handcrafts and pottery.

=== Cuisine ===
[[File:Ceviche de caballa.JPG|thumb|Ceviche de Caballa]]
Piura is host to a stunning mestizo culture (one of the oldest in South America, for Piura is the third Spanish city founded on that continent) most famous for gastronomical dishes like Seco de chabelo, algarrobina-based drinks, many types of seafood and fish, like [[ceviche]] and ''Natilla Sweets''. Ceviche de Caballa is an iconic dish from Piura, served with [[mackerel]]. Piurano chifles are also a very iconic food.

=== Music and dance ===
The tondero and cumanana are the traditional music of mestizo Piura and northern parts of [[Lambayeque Region|Lambayeque]] and Peru. Tondero, a typical dance of Piura, originated in the valley of Alto Piura in the province of [[Morropón province|Morropón]] during the 18th and 19th century, in which many mansions were constructed. There are also several famous [[Creole Waltz|Peruvian Waltz]] that came from these regions (northern Peruvians have their own style).

=== Sport ===
The most popular sport in Piura is [[Association football]] (soccer). The cities largest football club is [[Atlético Grau]], which participates in the [[Peruvian Primera División]]. Other football clubs in Piura include Sport Escudero, and Sport Liberal, both participating in the [[Copa Perú]]. Piura was one of the host cities for the [[2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship]], where its stadium, [[Estadio Miguel Grau (Piura)|Estadio Miguel Grau]], hosted. The stadium is named after the Peruvian war hero, [[Miguel Grau Seminario]] and has a capacity of 25,500. The stadium recently was approved for a renovation, after years of being left abandoned.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bejarano |first=Eddy |date=2024-11-30 |title=Moderno Estadio Miguel Grau será una realidad: remodelación apunta a albergar la Libertadores |url=https://larepublica.pe/deportes/2024/11/30/moderno-estadio-miguel-grau-sera-una-realidad-remodelacion-apunta-a-albergar-partidos-de-copa-libertadores-atletico-grau-ipd-gobierno-regional-de-piura-2064780 |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=larepublica.pe |language=es}}</ref>

Other popular sports in the city are athletics, volleyball and surfing. Indoor sports such as handball, basketball and futsal are also very popular in the city.

== Churches and religion ==
[[File:Vista interior catedral piura.jpg|thumb|Inside of the [[Piura Cathedral]]]]
The most practiced religion in Piura is [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]]. Piura is home to the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Piura]], which was established 1940. It is based in the [[Piura Cathedral|Catedral de San Miguel Arcángel]], also known as the Piura Cathedral or Catedral de Piura. Naturalized Peruvian citizen Robert Francis Prevost, elected as [[Pope Leo XIV]] 2025, was [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Chiclayo|Bishop of Chiclayo]] from 2015 to 2023, part of the Archdiocese of Piura. The city is home is many churches, with the most iconic being:
* [[Piura Cathedral]], founded in 1588, located in the Plena Plaza de Armas
* Iglesia San Francisco, founded by the Franciscan Order
* Iglesia San Sebastian, founded in 1911
* Iglesia María Auxiliadora
* La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Últimos Días

==Transportation==

=== Road ===
[[File:Piura.jpg|thumb|Piura]]
The [[Pan-American Highway]] goes right through Piura and connects it to other cities in Peru and South America. [[Mototaxi]]'s are a common form of transportation in the city, offering taxi or business's services. There are several public transport routes in the city, mainly made up of buses, minibuses and combis. In turn, you can find many taxis, motorcycle taxis and colectivos scattered throughout the city.

Currently, the works of the new project of a rapid transit bus system called "Metropolitan Corridor of Piura" which would cross the city from east to west, contemplating a route of more than 14&nbsp;km along the axis composed of Sánchez Cerro and Guardia Civil avenues, are in the execution project.The project is being promoted by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Provincial Municipality of Piura, with the support of German and French Cooperation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Espinoza |first=Por Analí |date=2024-03-12 |title=MTC anuncia el Metropolitano de Piura: conoce la ruta, y fecha aproximada en que iniciaría la obra |url=https://www.infobae.com/peru/2024/03/12/mtc-anuncia-el-metropolitano-de-piura-conoce-la-ruta-y-fecha-aproximada-en-que-iniciaria-la-obra/ |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=infobae |language=es-ES}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Construir |first=Revista |date=2024-04-02 |title=Piura: en marcha proceso para licitar estudio de preinversión del corredor metropolitano |url=https://construir.com.pe/piura-en-marcha-proceso-para-licitar-estudio-de-preinversion-del-corredor-metropolitano/ |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=Revista Internacional Construir |language=es-PE}}</ref>

=== Air ===
Piura is served by the [[Cap. FAP Guillermo Concha Iberico International Airport]], which only has one direct destination to Lima's [[Jorge Chávez International Airport]] and is served by three airlines, [[LATAM Airlines Perú]], [[Sky Airline Peru]] and [[JetSmart Perú]]. The [[Peruvian Air Force]] Air Group Nº 7 is headquartered in Piura. The Air Squadron 711 "Scorpions" are stationed at the airport, operating [[Cessna A-37 Dragonfly]]'s.

=== Rail ===
The city served a rail route to the nearby cities of [[Sullana]] and [[Paita]] since 1910, but has not served any more passengers, only providing occasional cargo. A project known as the [[Tren de la Costa (Peru)|Tren de la Costa]] is planned.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} The project aims to serve all cities along the Peruvian coast from [[Ica, Peru|Ica]] to [[Sullana]]. The railway would go through Piura, connecting the city with many others.

==Notable people==
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their own article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦---> 
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->
*[[Francisco del Castillo Andraca]] (1716–1770), Peruvian poet, writer and priest
*[[Miguel Grau Seminario]] (1834-1879), Peruvian naval officer and war hero of the [[War of the Pacific]]

==Sister cities==
*{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Empalme, Sonora|Empalme]], Mexico{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}
*{{flagicon|ECU}} [[Loja, Ecuador|Loja]], Ecuador{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Oklahoma City]], United States<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Cities|url=http://sistercitiesokc.org/about-us/our-cities|website=sistercitiesokc.org|publisher=Sister Cities OKC, Inc.|access-date=2021-12-19}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Trujillo, Cáceres|Trujillo]], Spain<ref>{{cite web |title=Ayuntamiento|url=http://www.trujillociudad.com/home/ayuntamiento|website=trujillociudad.com|publisher=Trujillo Ciudad|language=es|access-date=2021-12-19}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Piura}}
* {{wikivoyage inline|Piura}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Piura |short=x}}
* {{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Piura |short=x}}

{{Large cities of Peru}}
{{Regional capitals of Peru}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in the Department of Piura]]
[[Category:Cities in Peru]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1532]]
[[Category:1532 establishments in the Spanish Empire]]
[[Category:Regional capital cities in Peru]]