AYACUCHO...
Peru's Colonial past at its best

Remember particularly well our first trip to Ayacucho, Peru.

We were traveling with Anibal Solimano, Reuters photographer and a good old friend since then, plus another journalist from AP.
Later, came back on my own to continue the reportage I was working on.

Those were pretty scary days in the region, as Shinning Path (Sendero Luminoso) had the city more or less under their control.

Shinning Path was an extreme leftist terrorist group very active in Peru during the 80s and early 90s.

Its leader Abimael Guzman - nom the guerre Presidente Gonzalo - used to teach philosophy at the local San Cristobal de Huamanga University.

He went underground in the 70s., pursuing a Maoist insurgency that advocated a peasant-led revolution.
Was captured in 1992 and serving life imprisonment since then.

One night we were picked up from our hotel by a twelve masked-men Army unit to join them in their patrol.
I wasn't too comfortable. Guess none of us were.
But we made it alright and came back with some pictures for the record.

Sometime later this year we'll publish some pics in the Peru Photo Gallery.
An intimate approach to our lives and work in those days. Little of it has been published in Europe.

Ayacucho it's alson known as the City of Churches.
In fact, it has an impressive Cathedral - completed in 1672 - and nearly thirty other churches of Renaissance and Baroque style dating back to XVI, XVII and XVIII centuries.

The oldest chapel in town is San Cristobal - 1540.
Ayacucho it's a gigantic monument of Colonial architecture.
With such a strong religious influence, Holy Week here is the biggest celebration of this kind in Peru.

It was born in 1539 as "San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga", founded by Francisco Pizarro.
Its name later changed to Ayacucho, in 1824, after the historic battle that bears its name and determined Peru's independence from Hispanic rule.
The name comes from Quechua which means "the death ones corner".

Ayacucho it's also famous for its artisans: ceramics, textiles, retablos, mates burilados, silver ware and even sculptures made of Piedra de Huamanga.

An incredible and talented mix of Indigenous and Spanish Colonial art.

Quinua it's the town of ceramic artisans, with about 3,000 years of experience, way before the Inca civilization.
Among other interesting pieces, they produce naive-like chapels that are placed on each house's roof top.

Let's have a short video introduction to Ayacucho, its artists and religious celebrations..narrated in Spanish...

Retablos, also known as Saint Anthony boxes, are another landmark of Ayacucho, dating back to the Spanish conquest.

Made of wood, with one or more horizontal floors and two doors profusely decorated, they depict religious icons as well as daily scenes and historic/social events.
Mates burilados (carved gourds) are another pre-Inca handcraft most visible today, used originally to carry food or liquids.

Piedra de Huamanga (Huamanga stone) it's extracted in the nearby town of Huamanga.
Harder than clay, but less than marble, it's the raw material for unique sculptures, most representative of Peruvian Art.
For Silver Ware and Filigree, visit Ayacucho's quarter of Santa Ana.

So after you're done with the round of churches, have visited at least two museums...

• Museo de Arte Popular
• Museo Arqueologico Hipolito Unanue

..hanged around Ayacucho's charming Plaza de Armas - with the Cathedral and University in one side and continuous stone arcades on the others, visited the market - provably the most interesting in Peru - you're ready to explore its surroundings...

• Puya de Raimondi (Tutankayoq)
  About 12 km to the SE, in the province of Vilcashuaman.
  This incredible plant of the Andes it's found here in huge numbers - around 140,000
• Pampa Galeras National Reserve.
  Famous for its population of Vicuñas. Ninety km away in the Lucanas province, at an altitude that runs between 3,800 and 5,000 meters above sea level
• Vischongo
  The Intihuatana archaeological complex it's located here.
  Around 100 km from Ayacucho..
• Conchopata
  Another archaeological site just outside town, near the airport, dating back between 500 DC and 11,000 DC
• Vilcashuaman
  It was the most important administrative center of the Inca civilization, at an altitude of 3,470 meters above sea level.
  - Templo del Sol y de la Luna
  - Ushno o Piramide Ceremonial
  - Kallanca, Tupac Inca Yupanki Palace
• Pampa de Quinua
  Where the battle of Ayacucho took place.
  There is a huge monument there. Stop at nearby town of Quinua
• Wari archaeological complex.
  In Huamanga province

And if you have time before leaving town, get a taxi to Cerro Acuchimay, for a really nice view of Ayacucho.
Do it in day time only and you could also walk back to the city.

Let's hear Ayacucho children singing in Quechua at Pampa de Quinua...

How to Get There:

By Air:

From Lima it takes just over one hour.

By Bus:

Lima-Pisco-Ayacucho Distance: 558 km. Estimated duration: 8-9hrs.
Lima-Huancayo-Ayacucho. Distance: 551 kms. Estimated duration: 10-11 hrs.

Where to Stay:

• Marquez de Valdelirios: Alameda Bolognesi 720-724
• Plaza Hotel Ayacucho: Jiron 9 de Diciembre 184
• Hostal La Florida: Jr. Cusco 310

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