Chachapoyas is the capital of the Amazonas department of Peru, but it is largely the historical importance of this city and the surrounding areas that attracts visitors. Tourism is still quite undeveloped, although the number of travellers visiting the area has grown substantially in recent years. The Chachapoyas culture, also called the Sachapuyos (meaning mountain mist in Quechua) or Kuélap culture, was based around
Chachapoyas, and has left some remarkable archaeological ruins in spectacular countryside. These include the impressive fortress of Kuélap and the extensive remains of Gran Vilaya, which archaeologist Gene Savoy has dedicated much of his life to studying.
In Peru, the Chachapoyas left the greatest number of archaeological remains of any pre-Hispanic culture, bar the Incas, and there are approximately 600 around the town of Chachapoyas. It is likely that the Chachapoyas were not ruled by a single leader, but rather that the people were a confederation of small groups with similar linguistic and cultural heritage. The population of all the groups was probably between 300,000 and 530,000, according to the German historian Peter Lerche.
The Chachapoyas came to prominence around 800AD, and were dominant in the region until they were conquered and assimilated by the Inca Pachacuteq around 1470. The culture continued to flourish until the Spanish conquest in 1532. 200 years after the conquest, 90% of the native population of the area had died out. The language of the Chachapoyas also disappeared, although there are theories that this had links with the Chibcha culture in Columbia.
The city of Chachapoyas was founded on 5 September 1538 by the Spanish captain Alonso de Alvarado, who considered its location strategically important. The town is pretty and very tranquil, and although the most interesting sights are not in Chachapoyas itself, the city makes a good base for visiting the area, and has the best facilities in the region, even if these are still fairly basic. However, it may be more convenient to stay in towns nearer to the sights.
Further reading
Peter Lerche?s Chachapoyas: Guía de Viajero (Spanish only) is a useful travel guide to the area.
www.peru-guide.com - the most comprehensive travel guide to Peru available on the Internet.
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