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Head Office Cusco - Perú : |
ABOUT AYACUCHO
Ayacucho City was founded by Francisco Pizarro himself in 1539 with the name of San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga. The place waits for the visitor with many attractions, beginning with a Colonial styled Fortress that will be the first stage in the tour to discover the rest of many other wonders which exist in the Department of Ayacucho. The Capital City is located at 570 kilometres distance from the City of Lima, on the rolling plains of a warm valley that rests at an altitude of 2761m.
Your visit to this City would undoubtedly begin with a tour around its principal historical monuments, forcefully including its churches; otherwise, at the end of the journey you will have the uncomfortable feeling that your trip to Ayacucho lacked something. The religious buildings were constructed back in the 16th Century , 33 handsome churches, examples of Colonial architecture. The mild climate of the Region will prove to be compelling for the visitor to take long walks that will result in the discovery of the mythic face of this corner of Peru.
The route begins at the Plaza de Armas (Main Square), from which can be observed the magnificent Renaissance-Baroque style of the Cathedral Church, built with pink stones in its central part, while its two sideway towers were done in grey stones. This Cathedral was constructed in 1612 and the decoration of its interior, of a Spanish Churrigueresque style, is one of the main reasons to consider it as one of the most beautiful churches in Peru. Other temples worth visiting are the Santo Domingo, built in 1548 in a Mudéjar (Spanish-Moorish) style; San Agustin and its Renaissance lines; San Francisco de Asís, constructed in 1552 showing a delightful Greek-Roman façade; and the Church of the Compañía de Jesús (Jesuits), in a Churrigueresque architecture.anevertheless, these are only some examples among many other attractions that will convince the tourist to keep the tracks of the invisible sacred route which lies among the streets of the City. Entering these religious edifices will allow the tourist to behold some charming altarpieces, carved wood pulpits, amazingly decorated altars and oil paintings of different art schools. To be sure, each of these churches shows both at their exteriors and at their insides, the very best of the artistry from Ayacucho.
And this remarkable religious character is precisely what makes of Ayacucho the best place to spend the festivities of the Semana Santa (Easter Time). During these days, the enacting of the Life, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, along with daily processions advancing over carpets of flower petals, making splendid colourful mosaics on the streets, are the reasons to regard the Ayacuchan Semana Santa as the most emotive and spectacular of the Country. If by chance or schedule, your visit to this City coincides with this festivity, tryanot to lose any of the programmed events, for they will undoubtedly overcome you with both emotion and wonder.
The celebration gets started on the "Domingo de Ramos" (Palm Sunday), when Jesus enters the City riding a donkey. On Ash Wednesday the images of the Virgin Mary and San Juan are taken in procession around the streets to meet the portable platform that carries the nazarene Lord "Señor nazareno", in order to greet Him at the Main Square. On the night of "Viernes Santo" (Good Friday). The lights of the City are turned off to give way to the passing of the "Señor del Santo Sepulcro" (Lord of the Holy Sepulchre), followed by the "Dolorosa" and rows of men and women wearing mourning garments, escorting their Lord while carrying burning candles. Then takes place an overnight vigil with prayers and chants that will last until the Saturday, when the "Sermon de las Tres Horas" (Three Hours Sermon) is delivered to the believers. Lastly, the image of the "Cristo Resucitado" The Resurrected Christ makes its appearance on Sunday, cheering the souls of the believers, who once again have had their faith renewed.
Nevertheless, another important date to visit the City regarding celebrations is during June, when the Chaccu (Vicuña Seizure and Shearing) takes place. In this festivity, dating back to the times of the Incas, the inhabitants of the High Andean areas gather and shear the vicuñas who dwell freely on the Pampa Galeras Plains, a natural Reserve located at 760 kilometres from Ayacucho, in the Province of Lucanas.
Each year this tradition is revived following a series of ritual ceremonies in order to show due gratitude to the Apus (Mountains regarded as protective deities of the Andean world). Men, women and children take part in this tradition consisting in the massive gathering of the troops of vicuñas, billowing colourful banners, as well as ponchos and ribbons, forcing them into a funnel until reaching the meeting point of the purposeful fences, whereupon they become trapped and subsequently sheared. All this labour is accomplished without causing any kind of damage on the animals, because of their current status as endangered specie which is protected by the Peruvian State.
The Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) is the smallest of the four South American Cameloids. It has the finest animal fibre in the world, being even finer than Cashmere wool. Once the Chaccu comes to an end, the fibres obtained are sold in the International markets, becoming an important source of income to these impoverished communities of Peru.
Aside from the traditions, Ayacucho preserves important samples of a valuable historical past which goes back to more than 15 thousand years B.C. when the oldest human groups dwelled among the Central Andes. The cave painttings in the Pikimachay Cave, located 24 kilometres from the City of Ayacucho, is a visit that the tourist can not fail to make.
The Citadel of Wari, located 22 kilometres to the north of the City, is another important visiting point of the tour. This Citadel was the Capital of the Wari Culture, which flourished between the 6th and 12th Centuries A.D. In this place can be observed stone structures three stories high, an aqueduct, some subterranean galleries and the remains of an amphitheatre.
The Archaeological Compound of Vilcashuaman is a magnificent Inca Citadel that was built on the orders of the Inca Pachacútec, after defeating the nation of the Confederacion Chanca, with the purpose of using it as a political administrative centre and a religious enclave of the Inca government. Among its most important edifices we can mention the Temples of the Sun and the Moon, the "Ushno" or Ceremonial Pyramid and several squares. It is located 120 kilometres from the City of Ayacucho, standing out as one of the best preserved archaeological sites of Peru. These are more than enough reasons to include this place among the programmed destinations of your tour.
Ayacucho also played a major role within the struggle for the Independence of Peru. In the Pampa de la Quinua Plains the legendary battle took place that would ensure the definitive freedom of the South American people from the Spaniards grip. On December the 9th of 1824, the troops of General Simon Bolívar engaged in combat with the Royal army of the Viceroy La Serna, achieving a most unexpected victory, thus obtaining at last the so much sought after liberty. For that reason, the Pampa de la Quinua was turned into a Historical Sanctuary in 1980, in order to preserve for the forthcoming generations a part of this rich historical legacy. The Town of Quinua is located at a 32 kilometre distance from the City of Ayacucho. In its Plaza de Armas stands the house where the Capitulation of Ayacucho took place, at only one kilometre from the historical Pampa.
Besides, in this Department you will find an impressive Forest of Raymondi Puyas (Puya raimondii) known as Titancayoc. To reach this place the tourist will have to travel to the kilometre 109 to the Southwest of Ayacucho (about a three hour drive) and then take a two hour walk approximately. This natural forest is a perfect homeland to this Bromeliad specie reaching 12 metres of height, whose flowers take from 80 to 100 years to blossom.
Finally, a tour by the Barrio de Artesanos de Santa Ana will prove to be the proper grand finale for your trip to Ayacucho. The crafts offered by this Department are particularly beautiful and this is the place where the greatestanumbers of artisans are gathered. Their art works represent the best achievements of the inhabitants of the Andes, a lasting souvenir of your travelling through these lands.