The beautiful centerpiece of the Basilica Cathedral of Lima is the gilded high altar beneath a vaulted-ribbed ceiling. On top of the silver tabernacle is a statue of Our Lady of the Assumption. On either side of the checkerboard floor are choir seats with carvings of saints, popes and the Apostles. This ornate woodwork took Pedro de Noguera 17 years to complete during the 17th century.