Ayacucho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ayacucho Huamanga San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga
Ayacucho Basilica Cathedral Plaza de Armas de Ayacucho Mirador Acuchinay Observatory Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán Mariscal Sucre Monument Ayacucho Triumphal Arch
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s):  The City of Churches
Ayacucho Location in Peru Show map of Peru Ayacucho Location in South America Show map of South America
Country	Peru
Region	Ayacucho
Province	Huamanga
District	Ayacucho
Settled	April 25, 1540
Area
• Total	2,981.37 km2 (1,151.11 sq mi)
Elevation	2,761 m (9,058 ft)
Population  (2015)
• Total	180,766
• Density	60.63186/km2 (157.0358/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Ayacuchano, -1
Time zone	UTC-5 (PET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (PET)
Area code(s)	66
Website	http://www.munihuamanga.gob.pe/

Ayacucho is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the Ayacucho Region. The name Ayacucho comes from the Quechua words aya ("death" or "soul") and k'uchu ("corner"). This name honors the Battle of Ayacucho.

The city was founded in 1540. Its first name was San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga. People often called it Huamanga. In 1825, Simón Bolívar changed the name to Ayacucho. This was to remember the important battle that helped Peru become independent.

Ayacucho is famous for its many churches. There are 33 churches, one for each year of Jesus' life. The city has big religious celebrations, especially during Holy Week before Easter. These events include horse races with Peruvian Caballos de Paso. There is also a traditional running of the bulls called jalatoro or pascuatoro. In jalatoro, horses lead the bulls, which is different from the Spanish encierro.

History of Ayacucho

Early Settlements and Ancient Cultures

People lived in the Ayacucho area over 15,000 years ago. Evidence of these early humans was found at Pikimachay. This site is about 25 kilometers north of Ayacucho.

From 500 to 900 AD, the Wari culture lived here. The Wari became the first big empire in the Andes mountains. They were powerful before the Inca Empire existed. The Wari capital city was near where Ayacucho is today.

After the Wari culture ended around 1000 AD, new groups formed. These groups were strong and warlike. They joined together in an alliance called the "Chanca confederacy".

Inca and Spanish Rule

The Inca Empire later conquered the Chanca confederacy. The Inca built important centers in the region. One was Vilcashuaman, a large Inca city. Another was Huamanga, which is now Ayacucho.

Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded Huamanga on April 25, 1540. He named it San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga. There were many Inca rebellions against the Spanish. So, Pizarro quickly brought Spanish people from Lima and Cusco to live there.

In 1544, the city was given a special title. It was called La Muy Noble y Leal Ciudad de Huamanga. This meant "the most noble and loyal city of Huamanga". It was the highest honor a city could get from Spain. The main university, San Cristóbal of Huamanga University, started in 1677. Ayacucho was an important stop between Lima and Cusco.

Independence and Modern Times

On February 15, 1825, Simón Bolívar changed the city's name to Ayacucho. This was to honor the Battle of Ayacucho. The battle happened nearby on December 9, 1824. It was the final fight for Peru's independence from Spain.

The independent forces were led by Antonio José de Sucre. He was Simón Bolívar's trusted general. The victory at Ayacucho secured freedom for Peru and South America. People say the name "Ayacucho" came from seeing many fallen soldiers. Aya means "dead" and kuchu means "corner" in Quechua.

After independence, the city's economy faced challenges. A planned railway was not completed. However, a highway was built in 1968. Today, Ayacucho's economy relies on farming and small factories. They make things like textiles, pottery, and leather goods. It is also a popular place for tourists. People visit its 33 colonial churches and the battlefield of La Quinua. The University of San Cristóbal reopened in 1959.

In the 1980s, the region faced a period of unrest. A group called the Shining Path used Ayacucho as a base. This caused many people to leave the area. After their leader was captured in 1992, the unrest decreased. Ayacucho is a rural area and one of the poorer parts of Peru. People are now working hard to improve life and create jobs.

Notable people from Ayacucho

• María Parado de Bellido, heroine in War of Independence.
• Andrés Avelino Cáceres, President of Peru (1886–1890) and (1894–1895)
• Luis Guillermo Lumbreras, archaeologist.
• Alberto Arca Parró, economist and lawyer.
• Raúl García Zárate, guitarist.
• Renata Flores Rivera, singer

Climate

Ayacucho is high up in the mountains. Because of this, it has a cool climate. It gets a lot of rain during certain times of the year. This is like a monsoon season. The weather is generally mild, not too hot or too cold.

Images for kids

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  Cathedral of Vilcashuaman, built on the remains of an Inca temple located in a town near Ayacucho.

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  Arch of the triumph and San Francisco de Asís church.

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  Mariscal Sucre Monument in the Plaza Mayor de Ayacucho.

• Ushnu o Piramide Inca - Vilcashuamán, Ayacucho.jpg

  Ushnu or Inca Ceremonial Pyramid, Vilcashuamán.

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  Art from Ayacucho called Huamanga Stone.

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  A map of Ayacucho in 1865.

See also

In Spanish: Ayacucho para niños