This region was habited since remote times by nomad tribes. The evangelism of the Jungle was done by the Jesuit and Franciscans, in the XVIII century, which gave origin to the villages of Borja, Yerberos and La Laguna. Iquitos was founded in 1575 by the Jesuits with the name of San Pedro de los Napeanos. At that time it was a small village populated by the tribes of the Iquitos Indians. From 1864, with the visit of the Mariscal Castilla, Iquitos becomes a city and capital of the Department of Loreto. During the XIX century increments the commercial trade with Brasil, but since 1880, with the rubber exploitation, the city start its expansion. The best moment of Iquitos becomes when the tiles and European mosaics were brought to decorate the mansions of the rich people that own the plantations of rubber, such as the ex Palace Hotel, of Moorish style, and the Casa de Fierro (Iron House) designed by Eiffel ( the constructor of the tower that has his name in Paris).