MAIN
ATTRACTIONS IN THE CAPITAL CITY
Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world,
with a surface of 8,560 km² (3,305 sq ml) and a maximum
depth of 227 mt (744 ft). It also stands out for the transparency
of its waters. There are 36 isles, the most important
being, Taquile and Amantani. It houses a great variety
of birds (flamingos, huallatas, keles, and tiquis), and
fishes (trouts, carachis, pejerreyes, suches and ispis),
among others.
The
Floating Islands of the Uros. A group of 40 floating
islands formed by totora reeds, where the people are
part of one of the oldest cultures in the continent.
They live the way of their ancestors, strictly keeping
their customs and idiosyncrasy.
Isla
Esteves, another isle with a very good hotel and a most
spectacular view.
Isla
Taquile. The local people are farmers and have developed
an original form of communal tourism. They receive visitors
and share their food, housing, customs and traditions.
Isla
Amantani houses archeological ruins located in the top
of the hills. These were sites for religious rites and
adoration.
Chullpas
de Sillustani. An archeological area 34 km (21 ml) from
the city of Puno. It is one the most important necropolis
in the world. It stands at 4,000 m.a.s.l. (13,123 ft)
in an esplanade surrounded by the beautiful Umayo lake.
Built by the Collas, the chullpas are gigantic funerary
monuments. They are quadrangular and circular edifications
of over 12 mt (39 ft) high.
The
Cathedral. Finished in the seventeenth century, it stands
out for the quality of its structure and the engravings
in stone.
Arco
Deustua. This arched gateway built in memorial to the
heroes of the independence Battles of Junín and
Ayacucho, it is also the gathering site for the end
of the Fiesta de la Candelaria.
Cerrito
de Huajsapata is a small hill with a monument to Manco
Cápac. From there it is possible to enjoy a complete
view of the city of Puno and the Titicaca lake.
Other
city attractions include, Museo Municipal Dreyer, Casa
del Corregidor, Casa del Conde de Lemos, Fuerte de San
Luis de Alba, and Santuario de Chancharani.
OTHER
ATTRACTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUNO
Juliaca, an important commercial city. Santa Catalina,
a church from Viceroyal times, is one of its main attractions.
Lampa
is a city with an untouched Colonial influence. The
Viceroyal church of Santiago Apóstol stands out.
It has a replica of the Pietà by Michelangelo.
Visitors can also go and see the house of the famous
deceased Peruvian painter, Víctor Humareda, a
chinchilla breeding ground, and the Lensora rupestrian
paintings.
Desaguadero
is a frontier city and a crossing point to Bolivia.
Close to Desaguadero are found the 10,000 years old
Pizacoma rupestrian paintings.
Chucuito
is rich in archeological vestiges, such as the phallic
temple of Inca Ullo, a place for fertility rites. Many
of the Chucuito houses and churches maintain their Viceroyal
past.
Pucará.
Village where the Gran Templo de Pucará is located.
The local people are wonderful artisans and potters,
famous for their toritos de Pucará (Pucará
bulls).
Yunguyo.
This is a frontier town that limits with Copacabana
in Bolivia. This is a location where several folkloric
and religious festivals take place.
Chimú
and Ojerani. These are farming communities and their
people are expert totora weavers.
Ilave.
An important commercial center, with two interesting
Colonial churches. Every Sunday there is a local fair.
Juli
is an important tourist center in the region. Its churches
house very valuable pieces of Cusqueño and Italian
style paintings.
Pomata.
The churches of Santiago Apóstol and Nuestra
Señora del Rosario stand out in this location.
They were constructed in the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries in pink granite and with gold leaf altars.
Zepita.
A town with beautiful churches, such as the eighteenth
century Iglesia de San Pedro, completely built in stone.
Tinajani.
Located in Ayaviri, this canyon, formed by two huge
masses of rocks, is also known as Baño del diablo
(Devil Bath) because, when it rains, very loud and terrifying
sounds are heard coming from the bottom.
Other
interesting places to visit include, Taraco, Huancané,
Vilquechico, Moho, Conima, Santa Rosa and Sandia.
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