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Since
time immemorial, Huanuco has
witnessed many major events in Peruvian history. It was here
that archaeologists found traces of human occupation in Lauricocha,
the oldest settlement in Peru, and Kotosh, the Temple of the
Crossed Arms, held to be the oldest in the Americas. Other
important pre-Inca archaeological sites are Tantamayo and
Garu.
When the Incas annexed Huanuco into their empire, the city
became an obligatory way station along the route between Cuzco,
the imperial capital, and Cajamarca, the most important city
in the northern part of the Inca empire, the Tahuantinsuyu.
The Incas left behind a complex of more than 3,000 constructions
at Huanuco Pampa.
Founded in 1539, the city was the seat of a major cultural
movement during colonial times, which can be seen from the
architectural style of buildings such as the Cathedral and
the churches of San Francisco and San Cristóbal, which
also house valuable collections of colonial art.
Just a few hours from the city of Huanuco, the capital of
the department of Huánuco, lies Tingo Maria, the town
that lent its name to the Tingo Maria National Park, which
shelters a staggering variety of flora and fauna. The park
features spectacular scenery such as the Pumaringri mountain
range, whose silhouette resembles a sleeping woman, thus giving
rise to its nickname, La Bella Durmiente (Sleeping Beauty).
The park also features the Cueva de las Lechuzas, a cave which
is a haven for a large variety of bird species.
The townsfolk run tourist excursions during the celebration
of the Anniversary of Huanuco and the Festival of the Perricholi.
And to be able to take one's ease like an Inca, Huanuco features
natural hot springs at Taripampa, Baños and Cconoc. |
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