The first vestiges of human presence in Ayacucho are found in the Pikimachay cave and date from 20 000 BC. Later on, during the formative period (between 2 000 BC and the first years of our era), other settlements appeared in Rancha, Chupas and Wichqana. The Wari empire flourished between the sixth and seventh centuries with its capital city in the Ayacucho region. After its declining came the Chanca Regional State, and finally, the region was conquered by the Incas, who founded an administrative provincial center of great importance in the area of Vilcashuamán.
In 1 539 Francisco Pizarro founded the city of Ayacucho and gave it the name of San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga. This city was created with strategic purposes because it share borders with the territories dominated by the Vilcabamba rebel indians. Once the rebel redoubt of Vilcabamba was defeated, Ayacucho gained economic and cultural importance. Already in the seventeenth century, Ayacucho had an important textile industry, it was the seat of the Archbishopric and home to a university, which made it one of the most important cities in the Viceroyship
Today Ayacucho, land of peace and hope, still surprises visitors for its colonial flavor. Ayacucho is called the Peruvian Capital of Handicrafts and has spread its art all over the world.

The Cathedral
Huamanga Main Square.
Visits: Monday to Sunday 17:00-19:00.
Its construction began in 1 632 and was completed in 1 672. It has three naves containing the most important altars, which remain as evidence of the richness of past times.

San Cristóbal Temple
Jr. 28 de Julio cdra. 7 s/n.
Visits: only on the day of its anniversary.
It was the first temple built in the city in 1 540.

Santo Domingo Temple
Jr. 9 de Diciembre cdra. 2 s/n.
Visits: during mass hours.
Founded in 1 548, it features an altar with Baroque Solomonic columns. A brick belfry with arches crossed by huge wooden beams stands beside the temple.

San Francisco de Asís Temple and Convent
Jr. 28 de Julio cdra. 2 s/n.
Phone: (064) 81-2099.
Visits: during mass hours
Founded in 1 552, it has oil paintings, altarpieces of great quality and a Greco-Roman facade.

Santa Clara Temple and Monastery
Jr. Grau cdra. 3 s/n.
Open during mass hours.
Founded in 1 568, one of its most noted elements is the coffered ceiling over the presbytery. Jesus of Nazareth, the Patron of Huamanga is venerated in this temple.

La Compañía de Jesús Temple
Jr. 28 de Julio cdra. 1 s/n.
Visits: during mass hours.
Founded in 1 605. Its façade displays a rose colored stone frieze featuring carved flowers.

Santa Teresa Temple and Monastery
Jr. 28 de Julio cdra. 6 s/n.
Visits: during mass hours.
Founded in 1 603, its main altar is a sample of the Churrigueresque style. The Morisco style grid of its high choir is a beautiful piece of wood carving with inlaid pearl and nacre.

La Merced Temple
Jr. 2 de Mayo cdra 2 s/n.
Visits: during mass hours.
The second oldest church in the city (1 541). Its side frontispiece has sculptures on gray stone with high relief images and columns in a compound style.

The Town Hall
Portal Municipal 48.
Founded in 1 540. Its side door features a stone frontispiece that used to decorate the Quinta La Glorieta del Marqués de Feria.

Boza y Solís Mansion
Portal Constitución 15 at Main Square.
Phone: (064) 81-2229.
Visits: Monday to Friday: 8:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:00.
One of the most important examples of old Huamanga mansions. It dates from 1 740.

Chacón Mansion
Portal Unión 28.
Phone: (064) 81-4102.
Visits: Monday to Friday 9:30-13:00 and 16:00-18:30.
This seventeenth century mansion currently houses the Joaquín López Antay Popular Regional Arts Museum. Its two ample patios are surrounded by sturdy, sumptuous stone arches.

Castilla y Zamora Mansion
Portal Municipal 50, Plaza de Armas.
Phone: (064) 81-2230.
Visits: Monday to Friday 8:15-15:45.
This mansion belonged to Don Cristóbal Castilla y Zamora, the founder of the Cathedral and the University of Huamanga.

Vivanco Mansion
Jr. 28 de Julio 508.
Visits: Monday to Friday 8:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:00.
This mansion dates from the sixteenth century. This is the seat of Cáceres Museum.

Ruiz de Ochoa Mansion
Jr. Dos de Mayo 210.
Phone: (064) 81-8020.
Seat of Banco Wiese, it features art, culture and history exhibition galleries.

Wari Pre-Inca citadel, located 22 km northeast of the city of Ayacucho and about 45 minutes drive. It was the capital of the Wari empire that flourished between the 6th and 12th century. It was an urban center with a population of about 50 000 inhabitants. Today, visitors can admire its walls, tombs, channels, etc.

Town of Quinua and Pampa de Ayacucho Town of potters, located 37 km from Ayacucho and about 50 minutes drive. Distant 1 km from the town is the Pampa de Ayacucho, a historical location where the Battle of Ayacucho that sealed the Independence of South America was held on December 9th, 1 824.

Pikimachay Located 24 km from the city of Ayacucho and approximately 30 minutes drive. Bone and lithic remains thought to be the oldest in South America and dating back some 20 000 years were found in this location.

Vilcashuamán Located 120 km south of Ayacucho and about 4 h drive. It was an Inca administrative center. Its main buildings include the Temple of the Sun and the Moon and the Ushno or ceremonial pyramid.

Intiwatana Located 102 km from Ayacucho and about 3 h drive, it is an archaeological complex featuring a palace, a tower, the Inca bath (with a 13-corner stone) and a lagoon in the middle of the archaeological complex at 2 300 masl.

Titancayoc Located 94 km south of Ayacucho, about 3 h drive, followed by 2 h walk. Natural forest that shelters the region's largest number of specimens of Titanca or Puya Raimondi.

Huanta Valley Located 51 km from Ayacucho and about 50 minutes drive, this is a privileged valley because of its location and its rich flora and fauna.

Pampas Galeras Located in the province of Lucanas, 615 km from Ayacucho taking the Ayacucho-San Clemente-Pisco-Nasca-Pampas Galeras route, and about 11 h drive. It is the national reserve where the vicuñas are reared in their natural habitat.

Parinacochas Lagoon Located in the province of Parinacochas, 717 km from Ayacucho and about 18 h drive. Beautiful lagoon that houses many birds, notably the flamingos or parihuanas, on its banks. The Sara Sara and the Achatayhua volcanoes are close to the lagoon.

Ayacucho's handicrafts are particularly rich due to the presence of several cultures, notably the Spanish and Indian, which mingled several expressions, including:

The Retablos
Miniature altar boxes which, with the passing of time, have incorporated Andean folk scenes.
The Huamanga Stone
Stone carved figurines are the most representative symbols of Ayacucho handicrafts. These figurines depict traditional scenes from daily life.
Silver and filigree work
The quality of silver work preserves the standard achieved since Colonial times.

Typical dishes:
- Qapchi or Hapchi (salad based on fresh potato with Cachipa or soft unripened cheese, hot chili, oil and chopped onions).
- Caldo de mondongo (soup prepared with tripe, maize, mint and giblets).
- Patachi (soup based on wheat, beans, bacon and meat).
- Puca picante (pork cracklings in peanut sauce).
- Uman caldo or caldo de cabeza (Broth prepared with lamb head, mint and chili).
- Cuy chaktado (guinea pig fried on a frying pan under a flat, heavy stone).
- Pachamanca (assorted meats, potatoes and tender corn or maize cooked underground amid hot stones and aromatic herbs, pre-Hispanic style).
- Tecte (casserole based on lima beans, algae, peas, chili, garlic, soft unripened cheese, milk and eggs).
- Pushla (soup prepared with ground barley, herbs, eggs and species).
- Adobo ayacuchano (meat marinated casserole with chili and species.)

Its traditional drinks include: chicha de jora, chicha de molle, and chicha de siete semillas.

Holy Week in Ayacucho (March / April)
The Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday, with Jesus entering the city riding on a white donkey. Other processions take place during the week: on Monday, the Garden Prayer, on Tuesday, the Lord of the Sentence and, on Wednesday, a representation of Jesus taking the Cross to the Calvary. This dramatic scene that depicts the encounter of the Mother and her Son (Mary and Jesus), moves all participants deeply. On Holy Thursday, the people visit the temples to gain indulgences. In the evening of Good Friday, the lights of the city are turned off to leave the way clear to the Lord of the Holy Sepulcher. The magnificence of the portable platform full with white candles moves the faithful deeply. Later comes a vigil with chants and prayers that lasts until the three-hour Sermon that is delivered on Saturday. Joy returns after these days of grief, on Easter Sunday, when the image of Jesus raised from the dead is taken out in procession throughout the streets.