We, as Peruvians, couldn’t be more proud of our cultural and historical heritage, where our ancestors indirectly worked together to influence other civilizations. While looking back, we realize that the history of mankind in our country is nearly infinite.
By highlighting that, we just want you to have an idea of how extensive our heritage is. Therefore, if you love history as much as we do, you’ll be impressed to know that Huaraz holds a great part of the pre-Inca history and influences that paved the way to the succeeding generations.
For example, the Wilcahuain ruins is one of those unmissable places within the northern Andean region. The archaeological site is one of the not-so-touristy attractions in Huaraz, it holds a great historical and cultural value due to its architectural style and antiquity.
Hopefully, now we know much more about the prehispanic remains thanks to the hard work of archeologists since 1937, and though part of its structure is still underground, the site still captivates each and every one of its visitors.
We encourage you to add Wilcahuain to your Huaraz travel itinerary, but first, let us show you the importance of this archeological site while you’re here!
Wilcahuain is a pre-Inca settlement located in the Callejón de Huaylas, 7 km away from the city of Huaraz. When it was discovered, archeologists believed that it was a temple though Wilcahuain has more distinctive characteristics to a mausoleum.
There was a discussion about whether the temple could have been constructed by the Huari culture or the Recuay civilization. However, further on-site studies have shown that the site may have been the administrative center of the Recuay culture, which later was included in the growing empire of the Huari.
Etymologically, Wilcahuain comes from the combination of two Quechua words: Willka, which means grandson; and Wayi, which means house. Therefore, the composed word would mean The Grandson's House in English.
The name was provided by its discoverer, the famous Peruvian archeologist Julio C. Tello, the same specialist who studied the Cerro Sechín Archeological Site in 1937. A decade after Tello stepped on these lands, Wendell Bennet continued the studies in Wilcahuain, discovering a tiahuanaco-Huari cemetery 800 meters from this site.
The structure is composed of three levels or platforms connected by staircases and rampages. There are 19 rooms in total: Five on the main floor, seven on the second floor and also seven on the third level.
The Wilcahuain Archeological Site is located north of Lima in the Callejón de Huaylas, 40 min away from the city of Huaraz. It is worth mentioning that the site is a not-so-touristy attraction located in a remote location.
Therefore, if you wish to be part of this experience, we highly recommend taking a guided tour to the place. Luckily for you, we organize trips to Wilcahuahín starting from Huaraz. If you wish further information, please contact our travel specialists.
General Information
- Address: Wilcahuain 60, 02002.
- Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday from 08:00 to 18:00h.
- General Entrance: S/. 4.50.
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