SOUTH VALLEY – (HALF DAY TOUR)

We will pick you up at your hotel at 8:00 am. First we will visit the archaeological site of Tipón. A great place to observe several royal chambers of the Inca Wiraqocha. This type of architecture is well known for its imperial style and impressive hydraulic engineering in magnificent mountain scenery. In spite of the years the construction style of the channels and the liturgical sources are still intact, in honor to the goddess of the water.

After this we will continue to the old village of Pikillacta. This was one of the more impressive regional centers of the Wari culture, seated in Ayacucho, and which was occupied by the Incas through the years. Today it is a national archeological park of great importance. The word Pikillaqta is a made up Quechua word, meaning lousy town (piki = lousy, llaqta = town), although it is also called “city of the fleas”. The Pikillacta complex has more than 200 kanchas (apartments), 504 colcas (warehouses) and other constructions. The city probably had a population  of approximately 10 thousand people. Some investigators suggest that in the Inca times, Pikillacta was a city for “Mitimaes” (groups of people or tribes who were being transferred from place to place).

The next tourist attraction will be Andahuaylillas. The San Pedro Church of Andahuaylillas is the major attraction for visitors and because of the quality of the art work is considered as the ‘Sistine Chapel of America’. It was constructed for the Jesuits at the end of the 16th and the princes of the 17th century. Its architectural structure is typical for small towns churches. Its walls are wide, typical for the colonial buildings, made with sun dried bricks of mud, a facade decorated with murals and two stone columns projected towards the main entrance. Although its architecture is relatively modest, the decoration of its interiors is the most impressive of the building. We can first mention a picture of the “Virgin of the Assumptión”, painted by the Spanish historical painter Esteban Murillo. You will also see walls attributed to Luís de Riaño (17th century). The church houses additionally, a large number of paintings, which one of them represents the life of San Pedro (with impressive frameworks in gold leaves), a majestic organ, a silver goldsmith and a baroque altar.