We arrived in the highland town of Cajamarca, set in the valley of the Mashcon river, on November 5th at 4:00 PM and found a hotel right on the plaza. Though it was very noisy (one day there was a stage and band set-up on the opposite side of the plaza playing music all day and it shook the room’s walls) it was close to some of the better places to eat. Colin headed out to drop off our laundry and pick up some dinner, while I relaxed from the long bus journey. Back at altitude and we could feel it!
Starting our day on the 6th of November by heading out into town, we stopped in the main plaza. Here we found a plaque telling us that Cajamarca’s Plaza de Armas during Incan times was a trapezoidal shape surrounded by three large roofed buildings which were likely used for textile manufacturing. The Spanish remodeled the plaza with their own colonial style of churches and mansions, much of which remains today.
We started by exploring a complex of colonial buildings called the Complejo Belen. There was an information board nearby explaining that while the buildings looked like churches, they used to be hospitals and are now a medicinal museum (the former men’s hospital) and an archeological museum (the former women’s hospital.) The buildings were constructed in the 17th and 18th Centuries by the Bethelemite religious order as hospitals for local Indigenous people.
One of these churches was the Church of Belen built in 1744 with a stunning dome with figures carved into it. We couldn’t take photos inside the church, but here’s the sign showing what the inside looked like – plus some of the things we found on display inside each of the different museums. We also passed by the elaborate San Francisco’s Church on the plaza. This church is a Baroque style church of carved stone, and one of the first churches built by the Spanish in Peru.
Next Colin and I visited one of the infamous spots of the Battle of Cajamarca – El Cuarto del Rescate also known as the ransom room. On November 16th, 1532, the Spanish invaded and marched, led by Francisco Pizarro, to Cajamarca from Piura on the coast where they first landed. When Pizarro and his 168 men reached Cajamarca they allied with local indigenous (who were subdued by the Incans only 100 years before, and thus no fans of the Incan Empire) to capture the Incan leader Atahualpa.
It was only in the mid 1400’s that the area of Cajamarca had been conquered and brought into the Incan Empire. Atahualpa had just defeated his brother Huascar in Quito, Ecuador for the Incan throne based in Cusco. Before he could make it back to Cusco Atahualpa was met by the Spanish and held captive in this room of Cajamarca’s main temple. Atahualpa offered that the room he was captive in would be (within 2 months) filled twice with silver and once with gold for the Spanish in exchange for his release- it is said he held is hand up to the level he was willing to fill the room to with metals. It is believed the room was filled, but Atahualpa was executed by the Spanish regardless.
Colin and I then headed out to the pre-Incan Ventanillas de Otuzco. This site is a funerary complex consisting of a series of windows built into the volcanic rock covered hillside which runs from the Great River of Otuzco to the Atunmayo River. Bodies were buried between 1130 BCE and 1240 CE in the windows ‘tombs’ in a flexed position, sometimes inside ceramic vessels. Some of the tombs were quite shallow, while others were much deeper and complex. And some were never even finished!
After walking the entire path around the windows we headed on the bus back into town for a late lunch near the hotel. We were amazed at how much food we got (a huge three course meal plus a drink) for less than $10.00 USD – total for the two of us! This filled us up so much we didn’t even end up needing any dinner that evening – which left me free to head out to have an evening soak in some Incan thermal baths.
One interesting attraction was the Banos del Inca, also known as the Thermal springs of Pulltumarka, hot springs built by the Incans. These hot springs can get incredibly hot – up to 78 degrees Celsius or 173 degrees Fahrenheit! Colin wasn’t up for going so I headed out to the baths on my own. I purchased a private bath ticket and then wandered around the property before my bath time was ready. There was a cultural center on site which had history on the baths and pottery from various civilizations who lived in Peru – and a surprising exhibit on Mochica erotic art!
Cajamarca pottery is known as ‘cursive style’ pottery, because of its fine decorative style. The designs on the bowls and spoons are repetitive linear or floral patterns and very detailed, such as on the one pictured below. I really enjoyed looking at this kind of pottery because it reminded me of a talented artist’s relaxed doodling – plus had some cute faces.
Before Pizarro and the rest of the Spanish captured Atahualpa they were granted an audience with the Incan leader. This first meeting took place at his red painted residence, which had thermal pools at its center. These pools are some of the pools of his former residence.
Once I had visited the museum and taken all my photos I set about following up on my own private bath. It used the same thermal waters of the original Incan pools, but was a modern-built system. Very relaxing.
The morning of November 7th we headed out on a group tour to the Cumbe Mayo Museo to see some petroglyphs, a stone forest (with stone pillars as high as 60 feet) and the highlight of the ancient aqueducts. It was nice to head in a group for a change, and while our guide didn’t give us took much information the day was filled with enough beautiful scenery that we didn’t much mind.
After we ducked out of the stone cave, our group continued walking through the stone forest towards the aqueduct. It was a beautiful walk, with loads of dogs (friendly ones) following us around and wide green spaces with interestingly colorful trees. The rocks took on shapes as we saw them from different angles as we made our way around the hills. Some people believe they look like monks forming part of a procession, but we didn’t really see that – we just saw beautiful natural formations!
The Cumbe Mayo aqueduct is a 3,000-year-old aqueduct built by an unknown pre-Incan civilization at around 1000 BCE, making it one of the oldest man-made structures in South America. Strangely, Colin and I thought the bridge and other parts of the aqueduct looked incredibly modern in both its structure and its style – almost classically European even – but archeological testing claims otherwise.
The construction of the 9 km long aqueduct is fascinating, and it still works, carrying water from the melted hilltop snow though the volcanic rock canals, towards the city below. Since volcanic rock is the foundation, it is speculated that the creators of the canals may have used obsidian tools to make it. The purpose of the canals is not known ether, but it was likely to divert water needed for agricultural irrigation.
On the morning of November 8th I decided I wanted to head to the Central Market and pay $1.00 USD to try sesos, also known as cow brains. This dish is considered a treat in Cajamarca (I’m not such you could argue they are a delicacy if they only cost $1.00 USD) – but it was as tasteless, mushy, and ‘organ-y’ as you’d imagine. Nasty. I thought Colin would pass on trying it but he did – and didn’t think much of it either!
We debated going to a (possibly Chavin religious center) site called Kuntur Wasi, but it was quite far away and due to expense and time we decided to leave it for another trip. After we left the area, I also discovered a sight called the Layzon Archaeological Complex which has some murals carved on it and is still under archeological investigation.
We left Cajamarca that afternoon to head out on the most terrifying (for me, anyways) bus journey of our time in Peru – to Chachapoyas.
Francesca
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