Founded in 1539, the city of Huánuco hosted a strong cultural movement in the colony, which is shown in the architecture of their churches, as in the Cathedral, San Francisco and San Cristobal, which are home to valuable pieces of colonial art. According to historians, Huánuco was populated by muscular men proceeding from the Amazon. They occupied the valleys of the rivers Huallaga, Pachitea and Marañón, making on their way, native cultures and some of their own as well. The first immigrants settled in the Huallaga, always in pursuit of the High Marañón.
It has been stated that the oldest inhabitant of our homeland is the Man of Lauricocha, who was of average height, had a broad face and well-pronounced superciliary arches. He was a primitive, a nomadic hunter who lived in isolated groups, he also covered himself with animal skins.
Tourist Attractions
Church of San Francisco
It was built originally in 1560 and remodeled many years later in a neoclassical style. The golden altars retain its colonial, baroque and mestizo styles. Among its paintings and sculptures are the works of the Colonial Spanish priest Lorenzo Valentino.
Church of La Merced
It was founded in 1600 by the Royal Ensign Don Pedro Rodriguez and his wife Maria Gonzales. Its architecture is of Romanesque style, the main altar is Neoclassical and it highlights the image of Our Lady of Mercy, in addition to the tabernacle of silver dating from the colonial era.
Kotosh o The Temple of The Crossed Hands
Five Kilometers west of the city of Huánuco (5 minutes by car). This archaeological complex, no less than 4000 years old is found. There are three temples which are superimposed: The Nichitos Temple, The Blanco Temple and the Crossed Hands Temple. The latter has five niches, to the sides of the biggest niche, there are sculptures of crossed hands. In one of them, the right hand rests on the left and on the other, the left rests on right; it is believed that this corresponds to some notion of duality present in the world of these ancient populations.
Main Square of the city of Huánuco
Located in the heart of the city, it still has the central fountain which was sculpted by the Italian architect Julio Seretti in July 1845. It was used as a base stone that would have been the object of worship for the ancient inhabitants of the area in pre-Hispanic times. This rock is granite in one piece and it is 4 meters high.
Lauricocha Lagoon
It is approximately 4.000 meters above sea level. It is 7 km long, 1.5 km wide and it is 75 meters deep. This lagoon originates the Lauricocha river. In the shore grow the “totorales” (cattail plants) and there trout are quite abundant.
The Sleeping Beauty
It is located very near Tingo Maria. Is a set of mountain ranges (Puma Ringri) covered with lush vegetation that has the silhouette of a young and beautiful woman reclining, summits of hills clearly depict the profile of the beautiful woman’s back. There is a “Nunash” legend about it. This marvel of nature is located southwest of Tingo Maria. The maximum heights of the mountains range between 900 to 1,000 meters. Compared to the Sleeping Beauty, the Huallaga River, which is between 300 and 400 meters above sea level is of little elevation.
Tantamayo Archaeological Ruins
These ruins are located in the district of Tantamayo, 217 Kilometers away from the city of Huánuco and 3.500 meters above sea level, in the same district, significant pre-Hispanic ruins were found by Bishop Rubén Berroa, which were studied by Bertrand Flornoy. Centers Jipango, Susupillo, Japallán, Coyllorbamba, Chancaran and others integrate a group of some 60 villages and fortresses, which are in a four-angled area of 50 square kilometers. These centers belonged to the Yarowilca empire; they are distinguished by their houses and towers of 4 to 6 stories, communicated within using interior staircases. They were built using flagstone, put together using some sort of special mud. The most important of them all is known as the "city of the observatories," it is characterized by its huge circular towers ranging between 8 and 10 meters of height, semi-trapezoidal doors and ceilings in the form of vaults, with blocks of slate.
