What historical sites are in Peru that are not Machu Picchu and Cuzo?

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MSDC

Peru is strewn with a countless number of historical sites. Literally, you can't dig a hole anywhere without hitting some ruin or burial site. For example, for pre-inca sites, there is Chan-Chan, the biggest surviving adobe town in the world. Chan-Chan was the capital city of the Chimu, a powerful kingdom from the northern coast of Peru that was conquered by the Incas. There is Sipan and the pyramids of Lambayeque, were the Lord of Sipan was found. This was the American equivalent of the tomb of Tutankhamen. There is also Caral, just north of Lima, the oldest known village in the American continent (south, central and North America). There is Pachacamac, just south of Lima, the most important temple in pre-inca times and the second most important during the Incas, dedicated to the creator of the earth (Pacha= Earth Camac=maker). There is also Choquequirao, Cuzco itself with its Inca constructions and Sacsayhuaman. Most of the town in the sacred valley of Urubamba, and the fortresses in the valley, like Ollantaytambo.
All this just scratches the surface, as there are hundreds o even thousands more. For example, I went trekking in Huayhuash a couple of years back and there I bumped into a part of the Capac Ã‘am the main highway of the Inca Empire that went through the andes from Cuzco all the way to Quito in Ecuador.

memorex

I'll number the historical sites by culture, that haven't been mention. Please google these names for they are very interesting.

CAJAMARCA:
Ransom room, hot springs pool and the inka chair on top of Santa Apolonia hill all belong to the INKA Culture. The cementary on a rocky cliff called VENTANAS DE OTUSCO (windows of Otusco) belongs to Cajamarca culture (Pre-Inka).

CHACHAPOYAS:
Kuelap fortress and Sarcophagi statues at Karajia Hill, belong to the Chachapoyas culture wich co-existed with the Inkas and were subdued by them.

PARAMONGA:
The Paramonga Fortress buit by the Inkas when they conquered the Chimu culture.

CASMA:
Sechin Temple belonging to the Chavin culture.

LIMA:
the valle of Lima has many temples and villages made of mud bricks called huacas: HUAYCAN, PURUCHUCO, HUALLAMARCA, PUCLLANA, etc , etc. Belong to the Lima culture. Also near Lima are the Inka ruins of MARKAWASI, a mistical and sacred mountain meseta 2 miles long.
Lima is also rich in colonial architecture and the port of Callao has a Spanish fortress named CASTILLO de REAL FELIPE.

AYACUCHO:
Here you'll find ruins of the WARI culture. They preceded the Inkas.

HUANUCO:
The citadel of Huanuco Pampa belongs to the inka culture

ABANCAY:
The rock of SAYHUITE was made by the inkas to worship the water god

AREQUIPA:
The valley of Colca is rich in colonial architecture and locals live as they were 200 years ago. Colca means warehouse, this was an important place for production of goods during the inka empire but you wont find temples, only ANDENES ( Hills shaped as staiways for agricultural porpuses.

PUNO:
Wiracocha Temple, Lake titicaca

Obviously Cuzco is a city-museum

Kevin L

Between Chanchamayo, Peru and Huancayo, Peru there is the oldest Library in Peru, it has books in it from the 1400's and it has a little museum in it. (really nice and kool please to visit) also in Chanchamayo there is the french coffee company, at one time i think in 1996 it was rated the best coffee in the world. (it is really good). these are 2 places not too many people talk about. and really nice to visit. check out Moyobamba, Peru also, that is the real jungle if i have ever seen it.

Roberto

Hi Camille,

Peru has a lot of interesting historical cities to visit that are not in Cuzco. For example:

1. Trujillo: Chan Chan, Huaca del Sol y la Luna, El Brujo, Cao mommy.
2. Chiclayo: Lord of Sipan, Tombs of kings museum, Tucumen pyramids, Sican museum.
3. Huaraz: Chavin culture and monuments.
4. Lima: Excelent museums and pyrimids too.
5. Ica: Nazca Lines.

Also, in Peru you can see mountains, jungle, wild animals, beaches, wonderfull landscapes, deserts, sunboarding, rafting, adventure trips, etc). And I think that a good way to see it is watching this site: http://www.contunor.com/promocionales.php?lang=en

There, you'll see the most important tourist areas to visit and a very summary and graph mode.

Good look!

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