Ayacucho Huamanga San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga | |
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 Plaza de Armas de Ayacucho  Mirador Acuchinay Observatory  Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
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  Ayacucho Location within Peru Show map of Peru Ayacucho #Location within South America Show map of South America | |
| Coordinates:13°09′47″S74°13′28″W / 13.16306°S 74.22444°W /-13.16306; -74.22444 | |
| Country | Peru |
| Region | Ayacucho |
| Province | Huamanga |
| District | Ayacucho |
| Settled | April 25, 1540 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Yuri Gutiérrez |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,981.37 km2 (1,151.11 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2,761 m (9,058 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 180,766 |
| • Density | 60.6319/km2 (157.036/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Ayacuchano, -1 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (PET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (PET) |
| Area code | 66 |
| Website | http://www.munihuamanga.gob.pe/ |
Ayacucho (Spanish pronunciation:[aʝaˈkutʃo]ⓘ,Quechua:Ayak'uchu, derived from the wordsaya ("death" or "soul") andk'uchu ("corner") in honour of thebattle of Ayacucho), founded in 1540 asSan Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga and known simply asHuamanga[2] (Quechua:Wamanga) until 1825,[3] is the capital city ofAyacucho Region and ofHuamanga Province,Ayacucho Region, Peru.
Its original name, which continues to be the alternative name of the city, dates back to theIncan andViceregal periods of its history, until its official change bySimón Bolívar in 1825 through a decree to commemorate thebattle of Ayacucho during thePeruvian War of Independence. Bolívar issued the decree on February 15, 1825,[4][5] changing the name from "Huamanga" to "Ayacucho",[5] after the battle that decisively established the total independence of the nascent Peruvian Republic.[5][6]
Ayacucho is famous for its 33 churches, which represent one for each year of Jesus' life. Ayacucho has large religious celebrations, especially during theHoly Week ofEaster. These celebrations includehorse races featuring PeruvianCaballos de Paso and the traditional running of the bulls, known locally as thejalatoro orpascuatoro. Thejalatoro is similar to the Spanishencierro, except that the bulls are led by horses of theMorochucos.[citation needed]
Vestiges of human settlements more than 15,000 years old have been found at the site ofPikimachay, about 25 km north of Ayacucho. From 500 to 900, the region was occupied by theWari culture, which became known as the first expansionist empire based in theAndes before theInca Empire.
TheAyacucho region was inhabited by varyingindigenous cultures for thousands of years. During the Early Intermediate period (200 BC – 600 AD) theNazca culture settled in the south-west, and theWarpa culture arose in the center of the Ayacucho region, theWari Empire emerged as Huarpa cultures interacted with the nearby Nasca Culture at a time of intense interregional exchanges and widespread disruption to existing cultural traditions.[7] During the Middle Horizon period (600 – 1000 AD), at its zenith the Wari state reigned over most of the highlands and coast of Peru, centered near the present-day city of Ayacucho (Huamanga), the Wari became the largest dominant culture in the Andes region before the Inca came into existence. The Wari civilization collapsed by about 1000 AD, and the capitalcity of Wari was abandoned.
With the end of the Wari culture, the Late Intermediate period (1000 AD – 1476 AD) is said to begin, while some post-Wari cultures continued to further develop during this era, particularly cultures from coastal Peru, the Late Intermediate era is marked by population decline and substantial cultural regression over extensive areas of the Peruvian highlands, the Ayacucho region became one of the most affected areas, urban planning ceased to be, people abandoned virtually all cities, if not all, and dispersed into rural hamlets.[8] New tribal cultures — well differentiated from the old Wari — arose in the Ayacucho region, over time these became a series of relatively powerful warlike chiefdoms that controlled region, according to colonial chroniclers these tribes were united into a confederacy by the time Inca began to expand, referred in the Spanish accounts as the "Chanca confederacy", an alliance formed by the Chanca, Parinacocha, Vilca, Sora, and Rucana (Lucana) cultures, among otherayllu clans. After a series of fierce battles the Inca managed to defeat and conquer the Chanka confederacy and integrated the area into the Inca Empire, the Inca foundedVilcashuaman within Vilcas' culture territory, one of the most populous cities known to have existed in the Inca Empire,[9] capital of the Inca province (wamani) of Vilcas.[10] Huamanga was another of the administrative centers in the region, founded at a place called Pocra.[9]
The Spanish colonial founding of Huamanga was led by conquerorFrancisco Pizarro on April 25, 1540, who named itSan Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga.[11] Due to the constant Incan rebellion led byManco Inca Yupanqui against the Spanish in the zone, Pizarro was quick to populate the settlement with a small number of Spaniards brought fromLima andCusco. On May 17, 1544, by Royal decree, Ayacucho was titledLa Muy Noble y Leal Ciudad de Huamanga (the most noble and loyal city of Huamanga), the highest designation in the Spanish hierarchy of naming cities. The city's main University was founded on July 3, 1677, asSan Cristóbal of Huamanga University. Ayacucho was significant in the colonial era for being an administrative center, a stopping-off point between Lima and Cuzco, and the residence of mercury miner fromHuancavelica, as well as local land owners.[12]
In 1820, General Juan Antonio Álvarez de Arenales, under the instructions of Don José de San Martín, arrived in the city during the so-called Intermediate Campaign, which sought to attack Lima through the Andes while San Martín did so through the coast. Thus, Arenales declared independence in Huamanga on November 1, 1820.
TheBattle of Ayacucho was the last armed clash between the Spanish Army (formed mostly by Peruvian mestizos and indigenous peoples) and independentists during thePeruvian War of Independence, and the independents' victory ensured independence.[12] Taking place on 9 December 1924, the battle developed in the nearbypampas of La Quinua on December 9, 1824. Independentist forces were led byAntonio José de Sucre, Simón Bolívar's lieutenant. ViceroyJosé de la Serna e Hinojosa was wounded, and after the battle second commander-in-chiefJosé de Canterac signed the final capitulation of the Royalist army. The independent victory sealed the independence of Peru and South America.La Paz, now the seat of government ofBolivia, was similarly renamedLa Paz de Ayacucho following this battle.
On February 15, 1825,Simón Bolívar changed the city's name toAyacucho, renaming it after the historicalBattle of Ayacucho. Upon seeing so many casualties on the battlefield, citizens called the areaAyakuchu,aya meaning "dead" andkuchu meaning "corner" inAyacucho Quechua.[citation needed]
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Although the city gained a new name and some fame, the economy declined following independence. There were attempts to revive the city's fortunes, with a planned railway link to Peru's network, but the line was terminated in Huancavelica. A highway was subsequently constructed in 1968.[12] The city's economy is based on agriculture and light manufacturing, including textiles, pottery, leather goods, and filigree ware. It is a regional tourism destination, known for its 33 churches built in the colonial period, and for the nearby battlefield of La Quinua, where the Ayacucho battle was fought in 1824. The University of San Cristóbal was reopened in 1959. The city's population began to increase, but violent political unrest destabilized the region forced migration of many.[12]
In 1980, the far-left terrorist organization known as theShining Path (Sendero Luminoso) used Ayachucho as its base for its campaign against the Peruvian government, even staging an assault on theAyacucho prison in 1982. The campaign faded after the leaderAbimael Guzmán Reynoso was captured in 1992 and put in prison. The region headed by Ayacucho is rural and one of the poorest of all the country. With the peace of the last 15 years, the citizens work hard to improve the living conditions and attract jobs.
The city of Ayacucho is located in the northwestern corner of theAyacucho Department and in the south-central highlands of the country, in the southern area of the Andes. The city occupies the district of Ayacucho, also known as the historic center, and erroneously called 'cercado', as well as the urban area of the districts of Carmen Alto, Andrés Avelino Cáceres, San Juan Bautista and Jesús Nazareno, within the valleys of the Huatatas and Chacco rivers.
Owing to its high elevation, Ayacucho has amonsoon-influenced, coldsemi-arid climate (KöppenBSk). Aside from precipitation and from a thermal standpoint, the city has thesubtropical highland (Cfb) with uniform rainfall.
| Climate data for Ayacucho | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23.6 (74.5) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.8 (74.8) | 23.9 (75.0) | 23.2 (73.8) | 22.7 (72.9) | 23.6 (74.5) | 23.8 (74.8) | 24.9 (76.8) | 25.5 (77.9) | 24.6 (76.3) | 23.8 (74.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.5 (50.9) | 10.5 (50.9) | 10.3 (50.5) | 9.7 (49.5) | 8.2 (46.8) | 7.1 (44.8) | 6.6 (43.9) | 7.7 (45.9) | 9.2 (48.6) | 10.1 (50.2) | 10.7 (51.3) | 10.7 (51.3) | 9.3 (48.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 117.1 (4.61) | 101.5 (4.00) | 93.6 (3.69) | 23.8 (0.94) | 23.9 (0.94) | 23.2 (0.91) | 22.7 (0.89) | 23.6 (0.93) | 23.8 (0.94) | 24.9 (0.98) | 25.5 (1.00) | 24.6 (0.97) | 528.2 (20.8) |
| Source: National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru[13] | |||||||||||||
Although there is no official delimitation defined, the metropolitan area of Ayacucho comprises 5 districts of the province of Huamanga. These districts have a population of 229,455 inhabitants in 2020, according to theINEI.
According to the XI Population Census and VI Housing Census conducted by the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics in 2007, the city of Ayacucho had a population of 151,019 inhabitants. Its annual growth rate was 2.5%.
In 2014, Ayacucho ranked 16th among Peruvian cities in terms of population.
According to the productive structure of 2006, Ayacucho contributed 1% of the national Gross Added Value (GVA), maintaining its share with respect to that recorded in the base year 1994. The dynamics of the economy is basically influenced by the behavior of the agricultural, government services, trade, other services and construction sectors. The city houses most of the tertiary sector of the entire department. This represents 52% of the departmental GVA, highlighting government services (17.4%), trade (15.7%) and other services (12.4%).29
The city has two main markets: the Magdalena market, in the neighborhood of the same name, and the Carlos F. Vivanco market, called Mercado Central, in the historic center of the city.
Ayacucho is known for its many churches and cathedrals, giving it the name of ''The City of Churches''. The oldest Catholic churches date back to the 16th century, when the first religious orders settled in the area. In general, the colonial churches of Ayacucho combine Hispanic, Latin and Arabic elements with indigenous features, such as stones carved with motifs of the local flora and fauna. Some of the most iconic colonial churches includes, theCathedral Basilica of St. Mary, Templo de Santo Domingo and the Covenent de San Francisco de Asís.
The encomenderos, corregidors, landowners, miners, built their houses in Huamanga, thinking of the mansions in the style of the Spanish cities ofSeville,Cordoba,Ávila andGranada of that time. Despite the passage of time, the mansions still retain much of their old elegance. The balconies of these mansions are very iconic, similar to those in said Spanish cities and also to other Peruvian cities such asTrujillo andLima.
The richness and quality of Ayacucho's crafts, in its various manifestations, have made it be considered as the "Capital of Popular Art and Crafts of Peru". Ayacucho's crafts combine pre-Columbian techniques and traditions with Hispanic contributions and the permanent creativity of the region's inhabitants. Its best-known expressions are altarpieces, Huamanga stone carvings, and silver and filigree work. Ayacucho's ceramics are very renowned and characteristic. Since 2019, Ayacucho has been part of theUNESCO Creative Cities Network, in the category of crafts and popular arts.
The AyacuchoAltarpieces, direct descendants of the Spanish San Marcos or San Antonio boxes, depict scenes with profound Andean meaning on their interior. They are a traditional example of the remarkable creative and artistic capacity of the artisans of this land.
Huamanga stone is the local name given to alabaster, a white mineral, sometimes with shades ranging from grey or lead to sepia. It is a sediment of volcanic origin and is characterized by its easy malleability, its whitish color and its exclusivity.
There are around 60 educational institutions in the city, both public and private. The administration of basic education in the city is in charge of the Educational Management Unit (UGEL) Huamanga, attached to the Ayacucho Regional Education Directorate of the Ministry of Education.[14] Due to the strong religious presence in the city, several of these institutions are linked to religious congregations.
As the administrative and economic capital, the city has the largest public and private health centers in the department. They are managed by the Ayacucho Health Department.
Ayacucho stands out for its ancestral customs and traditions, which reflect the faith of its people. Ayacucho'sHoly Week (Semana Santa) is the second most important in the world after that ofSeville. In these two cities, the ancient rituals of Holy Week are maintained, where a special religious fervour is felt and perceived. In this Latin American capital of Holy Week, the festival is celebrated for ten days, during which the population and tourists participate in religious ceremonies and processions, as well as in cultural, artistic, gastronomic and commercial activities. The particularity of this Holy Week is that it mixes European traditions with Andean cultural characteristics.
During the month of February, the Carnaval de Ayacucho is a large celebration that officially lasts three days, but which begins a month in advance with the arrival of the rural troupes, which come from different places in the department, both to compete in the great rural troupe contest and to dance through the streets of the city showing the cultural richness of the place they come from, a richness that is found in their song and dance always to the rhythm of the carnival.
Like other cities in Peru, Ayacucho has a variety of dishes, drinks and pastries. Among them are puca picante, mondongo, qapchi, muyuchi and others. Puca picante is the city's main dish. It is a stew prepared with small potatoes, roasted and ground peanuts, pieces of pork and beets (which give it its reddish color, puka in Quechua), seasoned with red chili pepper and other condiments. Mondongo, also iconic to Ayacucho, is a mote soup that is cooked with beef, beef belly and pork belly. The particularity of the dish in Ayacucho is the addition of a seasoning of ground and toasted red chili pepper, along with chopped mint. Other dishes include pan chapla and Wawa's.
The city of Ayacucho has a district football and basketball league along with other sports leagues. One of the representative teams is theAyacucho FC, which participates in theFirst Division of Peruvian football. Ayacucho has its own sports complex known as the Complejo Deportivo Ciudad de Caracas. Within the complex is theEstadio Ciudad de Cumaná, which was the largest stadium in the city with a capacity 12,000. The stadium and the sports complex was demolished in 2025 in order to create a new larger complex known as the Gran Complejo Deportivo Los Vencedores de Ayacucho.[15] The new complex will include many new installations for sports such as basketball, volleyball, swimming, handball and others, along with a new stadium which will have a capacity of 20,000.
Ayacucho has hosted a number of sports tournaments, most notably the2024 Bolivarian Games. The city will also host the next Bolivarian Games in 2025 withLima, using its new sports infrastructure.
Coronel FAP Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport is the principal airport of Ayacucho. The airport provides daily domestic routes to cities such asLima andCusco. During Holy Week, the Municipality of Huamanga usually presents representative music and dance groups to welcome passengers at the airport terminal.
The city of Ayacucho is a connection node for various national routes. It has three land passenger terminals.
Furthermore, the citizens of Ayacucho point with pride to the thirty-three churches that go back to colonial Huamanga (Ayacucho's name then).
El Libertador Simón Bolívar expidió el decreto de 15 de febrero de 1825 por el que se cambió el nombre de "Huamanga" por el de "Ayacucho", pues la "victoria de Ayacucho ha afirmado para siempre la Independencia total de la República"
2°—Que, obtenida la victoria en el Departamento de Huamanga, debe marcarse su nombre, de una manera que perennemente recuerde a aquellos habitantes el origen de su libertad
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.svg) Peruvian cities with a population of over 100,000 | |
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