The Huaca Pucllana is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lima. It is located in the tourist district of Miraflores. It was an urban center from the Lima culture, which occupied the place between 200 AD. and 700 AD It was also occupied by other contemporary cultures such as the 'Huari' and 'Ychma'. In addition to the archaeological site, it offers a site museum with the discoveries found in the place. They also offer night tours that are liked by the national and foreign public.
Huaca Pucllana, a jewel within your reach | Hello, if you are wondering about what was this place? How to get to Huaca Puccllana? How much does it cost?
The Huaca Pucllana is an archaeological site from the Lima culture, the first inhabitants of the city whose occupation dates back to 200 AD. to 700 AD
It was an urban center and, above all, a ceremonial one with squares, patios, stairs and platforms made mainly of adobe. It is the best-researched archaeological site in the city. It is in charge of the Ministry of Culture of Peru and the Municipality of Miraflores.
Its high (25 meters) and well-preserved main pyramid stands out, where religious ceremonies were held. This pyramid belongs to the heyday of the Lima culture. A few centuries later, between 800 A.D. and 900 A.D. the site was used as a cemetery by the Wari culture.
Finally, the place was occupied by the Ychma culture who used the Pucllana huaca as a village. Its name was taken from historical documents that mention that the curaca Pedro Chumbi Charna owned said lands called 'Pullana or Puliana'.
The Huaca Pucllana covers an area of approximately 5 hectares. Previously it occupied a larger space, however, the growth of the city meant that some modern buildings were built on these spaces.
Due to its enhancement and modern museum and facilities, Huaca Pucllana has become one of the best archaeological sites in the city of Lima. It receives thousands of tourists every year. There are different services including tourist guides in English, French, Japanese and Spanish.
The Huaca Pucllana is located in the heart of the Miraflores district, the most touristic space in the city of Lima.
Its exact address is Calle General Borgoño, box 8, Miraflores – Lima.
From the central park of Miraflores (Kennedy Park) you can get to Huaca Pucllana on foot or by taxi (cost approximately 3 dollars).
From the center of Lima you can get to the Miraflores district by taxi or public transport service (the famous blue corridor) for a cost of 1 sol 50 cents. That is, less than 1 dollar.
The main temples and squares of the Huaca Pucllana were built by the Lima culture that inhabited the valley of Lurín and Chancay between 200 AD. and 700 A.D. The constructions of the main structures date from the heyday of this culture, approximately between 500 AD. and 700 A.D.
Subsequently, the Pucllana huaca was occupied by the Huari civilization, which occupied the Rimac valley between 800 A.D. and 1,000 A.D. This empire covered a large part of the Peruvian coast and the southern sierra. It even reached regions of the jungle. Its capital was in Ayacucho.
The Pucllana huaca was abandoned and later besieged by the Huari who built cemeteries there for the elite. These tombs were individual or collective. They were accompanied by offerings of ceramics, textiles and more. There is even evidence of human offerings for the tombs of the Huari aristocracy.
After the mysterious fall of the Wari empire, the Huaca Pucllana was inhabited by fishermen and farmers belonging to the Ychma culture (1000 AD - 1400 AD) who had the sanctuary of Pachacamac as their main ceremonial center. The Ychma tried to recover part of the old structures in the place. However, its buildings were precarious. Vessels and even a cemetery have been found from this time.
Research work on the Huaca Pucllana was carried out mainly after the second half of the 20th century. In 1981 an ambitious project of research, conservation and enhancement led by Dr. Isabel Flores began. The Huaca Pucllana site museum was founded in 1984. In 1987 the huaca was declared an 'Intangible Archaeological Zone'.
In 2017 the Huaca Pucllana was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation. Currently the site is a modern cultural space that has all the necessary services for an educational and enjoyable visit. It is one of the best tourist attractions in the city of Lima.
The tour of the Huaca Pucllana follows a set of squares, walls and passageways in the center of which the great pyramid stands out. This building, undoubtedly the most important of the archaeological site, is made up of seven levels made of adobe and stone.
The first level shows a large plaza. The second shows a patio with benches, altars and a set of holes where offerings were deposited. The third level shows a platform with a ramp system. The fourth level also shows a patio with sidewalks and a set of yellow steps that lead to the fifth level. This also has a patio with sidewalks separated by a wall. The following levels are partially excavated as they are in poor condition due to the passage of the Wari culture.
The Huaca Pucllana has a modern and well-conditioned site museum. It shows a collection of 76 archaeological objects found during the investigations in the place. They are distributed chronologically to explain didactically the evolution of the inhabitants of Lima and, particularly, the Huaca Pucllana.
Likewise, the museum has didactic material (panels, maps, photographs) that account for the activities of the Lima, Wari and Ychma culture that inhabited the place.
The tour of the museum precedes the tour of the archaeological site. The Pucllana huaca also has models that graphically explain the dimensions of the place during the occupation of the Lima culture.
These are the entrance prices to the Huaca Pucllana:
Office hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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