Part of the trip between Chachapoyas and Celendín, in Cajamarca, runs parallel to the Utcubamba River and passes by small and picturesque towns, always surrounded by the intense green of the Amazonas department. The most important town on the route, and one of the most beautiful, is Leymebamba, whose original name, Raymipampa, means the "pampa of the party".
This town had an early Spanish formation, around the middle of the 16th century, and maintains beautiful mansions. In its main square, the stone church with a tile roof stands out, which began to be built at the end of the 19th century and was inaugurated in 1905. In Leymebamba there is also the museum of the same name. It preserves a large part of the archaeological remains found in the Laguna de los Cóndores, especially their mummies, which were brought around 1997 to save them from human depredation. This museum is one of the best ways to introduce yourself and understand one of the most fascinating cultures of northern Peru.
Later, once we leave Leymebamba and continue on our way to Celendín, an ascent begins that allows us to observe strongholds of tall palm trees of the genus Ceroxylon, which are the species that grow at the highest altitude in the world, above 3,500 meters. The trip and visit to Leymebamba is an excellent complement to Kuelap and Gocta, and a way to get to know the interior of one of the most beautiful departments in the country.
Leymebamba comes from two Quechua words: “Leyme” or “Leime”, which means “fresh”, and “Bamba”, which is “pampa” or “valley”. Therefore, Leymebamba can be translated as “Fresh Valley”.
One of the distinctions that can be seen with the naked eye is the architecture of the town, since its homes are built with mud mortar, giving them a rustic and traditional appearance; Likewise, these buildings are sheltered under reddish tile roofs, this type of structures makes the town a charming place full of tradition.
This is one of the attractions you should see if you visit this town, since this structure, whose origins date back to long before 1875, stands as a reminder of the faith and devotion of the inhabitants of Leymebamba.
This lagoon is one of the greatest attractions of the place, which is surrounded by lush mountains and blue skies; Likewise, hundreds of mummies belonging to the Chachapoyas culture were discovered at this site, which shows the historical importance of the place.
The Leymebamba museum preserves more than two hundred mummies and funerary offerings found in the Laguna de los Cóndores in 1996. From this discovery, which was made by chance, the Mallqui Center promoted an intense effort to preserve an invaluable archaeological collection for history, where you can appreciate, first hand, the close relationship that the Chachapoyas had with their ancestors. Awesome.
The Leymebamba Museum was inaugurated in June 2000 as a result of the need to generate the technical and environmental conditions for the investigation, conservation and preservation of funerary bundles and other archaeological materials recovered by the Mallqui Center in the Laguna de los Cóndores within the framework of of the emergency project carried out in 1997. The construction of the museum is the result of the management of the local community and international support. In the design and construction, architectural techniques and traditional materials such as mud, wood, stone, vegetable fibers and tiles were used, which are integrated with the natural environment and the cultural landscape. It has three rooms where ceramics, fabrics, metals, quipus and various artifacts from the Chachapoyas culture and the Inca presence in the region are exhibited, as well as an ethnographic room on the cultural continuity deeply rooted in the area.
Schedule:
From Monday to Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tariff:
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