Matthew Barker

Travel: Arequipa and the ancient historic wonders of the southern Peru

Arequipa in the south of Peru is the perfect colonial springboard to go off and explore the historic wonders of the south. Read a suggestions from a Peru travel expert from Peru For Less.

Many people in the world that know of Peru will have heard of the ancient civilization of the Inca’s, made so famous through the defeat of the Inca’s by the colonizing Spanish and the ‘discovery’ of Machu Picchu by the western world. However what most people to the region are unaware of is that actually the Inca’s were only one of the many complex civilizations that lived in the Andean region of what is now Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

Arequipa in the south of Peru is considered Peru’s second city and was founded by Spaniards in 1540, but the city dates back to the 14th century it was populated by a small Inca community. ‘Ari, quipay’ in the local Quecha language means ‘yes, stay’ and legend has it that that was the reply that the fourth Inca used when his soldiers asked to remain in the green fertile land that is in the region. The city now though houses a grand collection of historic colonial architecture that is primarily built out of the volcanic rock from the nearby volcano. This rock is of a light color that has given the city the name of ‘white city’. If you are looking for some good museums to visit to learn about the history of the region, the Catholic University’s Archeological Museum has a good collection of artifacts and ceramics from the period.

In other nearby by areas the town of Tiahuanaco on the shores of Lake Titicaca in what is now actually Bolivia, existed a culture that lasted from approximately 600 – 1000 AD. Much of the area is intact and tours offer visitors the chance to see these ancient ruins. The stonework was, at least until Inca times was considered the best in the Andes. Early explorers to the region could not fathom how the huge gateway monument – known as the Gate of the Sun - in the town was constructed – with some believing that it was constructed my extraterrestrial beings!

Other cultures also lived in this region in and around the Lake Titicaca region before the rise of the Incas. The islands of Uros are home to a people that have lived on the lake for generations. What makes this group so unique is the fact that these people live on the lake in manmade islands constructed out of locate plants. These islands literally float on the water made out of a straw like material using a process that has existed for generations.

The peak of the Inca empire was just a few decades before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, by this time though the cities of Cusco had been constructed as well as the monuments such as Machu Picchu. For modern visitors there is a train line that connects most of these cities and towns and provides fascinating views over the high Andean mountain area.

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