Huamachuco
| Huamachuco | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|||
| Coordinates | 7 ° 49 ′ S , 78 ° 3 ′ W | ||
| Basic data | |||
| Country | Peru | ||
| La Libertad | |||
| province | Sánchez Carrión | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | PE-LAL | ||
| District | Huamachuco | ||
| height | 3169 m | ||
| Residents | 41,613 (2017) | ||
 Plaza de Armas
|
|||
Huamachuco is the capital of the Sánchez Carrión province in the La Libertad region of Peru . The population at the 2017 census was 41,613. 10 years earlier it was 28,330. The name of the city is derived from the Wamachukos people who lived there.
Huamachuco is the seat of the territorial prelature of the same name of the Catholic Church.
history
The city was founded in 1553 (or, according to other sources, in 1554) by the Augustinians . In January 1821, independence from the Spanish crown was declared in Huamachuco (after the declaration in Trujillo , but before that in Lima ). Simón Bolívar and José Faustino Sánchez Carrión organized the liberation army from here with great support from the local population. On July 10, 1883, the battle of Huamachuco took place at the gates of the city , in which the Chilean army defeated the Peruvian troops . It was the last battle of the Saltpeter War .
geography
Huamachuco is located about 180 km east of Trujillo at an altitude of 3180 m in the northern part of the Peruvian Andes (La Sierra). Due to its location near the equator, the climate is temperate despite the high altitude.
All altitude information follows the Spanish altitude system msnm, which refers to the altitude above sea level in Alicante .
traffic
The city can be reached in around four to five hours from Trujillo via a recently paved road. The road to Cajamarca is also paved. These cities are served daily by buses. The onward journey to other cities in the province takes place in minibuses or trucks.
Huamachuco also has a small airfield that is only approached irregularly by aircraft belonging to the mining company and by private individuals, but not by scheduled aircraft.
economy
The main industries in Huamachuco City are commerce, other services, and small businesses. The surrounding area and the province of Huamachuco as a whole are mainly characterized by agriculture. The main crops are potatoes , wheat , corn , barley , beans , lentils and vegetables. There is also a milk processing industry and kaolin , clay , hard coal , lime and, more recently, gold are mined. For several years the city administration has been trying to improve the tourist infrastructure in order to be able to use the tourist potential of the city and its surroundings.
Attractions
Plaza Mayor
In the Plaza Mayor, the main square of the city, you will find the cathedral, the municipal theater, the bell tower, the birthplace of José Faustino Sánchez Carrión and the school "San Nicolás". The square itself is considered to be one of the largest of its kind in Peru. In the middle of the square there is a fountain, but the special thing is the many cypress trees cut into different shapes.
Archaeological Museum
One block from the main square is the Archaeological Museum, which exhibits various archaeological finds made of ceramic, stone, and gold.
Marcahuamachuco
The archaeological complex Marcahuamachuco or Markawamachuku is located about 10 km west of Huamachuco at an altitude of 3595 m on the mountain of the same name, where it stretches for about 5 km with a width of 400 to 600 m. The first structures were erected during the so-called "early intermediate period" (500 nC to 700 nC). Markahuamachuco was the religious and probably also the political center of the Wamachuku people and was inhabited by Incas at least until the end of the 15th century.
Wiracochapampa
The Wiracochapampa citadel is about 3 km north of Huamachuco on a plain. The various buildings were mainly made of sandstone on an area of around 500 by 500 m. According to the current state of research, the citadel was built by people of the Wari culture and abandoned before the end of the construction work due to unexplained circumstances. Since 1997 the Waman Raymi ("Festival of the Falcon") has been taking place there every year in mid-August with the active participation of the local population. It recreates the history of the Wamachucos people and attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Sausacocha lake
6 km east of Huamachuco is the Sausacocha Lake at an altitude of 3200 m with a water surface of 172 ha and a depth of up to 15 m. Trout and carp are abundant in its clear, cold waters. The wide reed belts on its banks are habitats for various types of ducks and railings. On its southern bank you can grill and there is the possibility to go on the lake with boats.
Yanazara hot springs
About 18 km from Huamachuco are the hot springs of Yanazara at about 2480 m. The approx. 40 ° C warm water contains u. a. Sodium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium sulfate and iron and is particularly recommended for rheumatism. In addition to an open swimming pool, there are showers and changing rooms.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Huamachuco, in Sánchez Carrión (La Libertad Region), Urban Main Locality . www.citypopulation.de. Accessed December 1, 2019.
