The Crafts Bazaar

The Republican Era brought many improvements to the city's infrastructure and economy. The Southern Railroad built by Henry Meiggs connected Arequipa with the port city of Mollendo in 1871 and with Cuzco and Juliaca in 1876. In 1908, the first telegraph system in the Arequipa region connected Mollendo, Arequipa and Vitor. In 1914, the city built its first drinking water supply system as well as an aqueduct. In 1940, the city's international airport, Alfredo Rodriguez Ballon, was opened. In 2000, the historic center of Arequipa was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. However, on 23 June 2001, an 8.4-magnitude earthquake damaged several historical buildings.