History of Lima as it was designated capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru and site of a "Real Audiencia" in 1543. Latin America and Lima's first university, the National University of San Marcos was established in 1551 and its first printing press in 1584. Lima also became an important religious center, a Roman Catholic diocese was established in 1541 and converted to an archdiocese five years later. In 1609, the city held celebrations for the beatification of Ignatius of Loyola. Lima flourished during the 17th century as the center of an extensive trade network which integrated the Viceroyalty of Peru with the Americas,
Lima Province divided into 43 districts. Each of them is headed by a mayor, although the Metropolitan Lima Municipal Council ("Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima"), led by the mayor of Lima, also exercises its authority in these districts. All the districts of Lima province are fused together in a continuous urban area, with the exception of the beach resorts of Ancon and Santa Rosa in the north and Pachacamac, Punta Hermosa, Punta Negra, San Bartolo, Santa Maria del Mar and Pucusana in the south. Lima Province is administered by the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima ("Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima"), which also administers the city