Matucana, Peru facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matucana
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Town
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A railroad near Matucana
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 Matucana, Peru
Location in Peru
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| Country |  Peru |
| Region | Lima |
| Province | Huarochirí |
| District | Matucana |
| Established | 1647 |
| Elevation | 2,378 m (7,802 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 5,768 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (PET) |
Matucana is a town in central Peru. It is the capital of the Matucana District in the Huarochirí Province. This province is part of the Lima Department.
Matucana is located east of Lima. It sits high up at 2,378 meters (7,802 feet) above sea level. You can find it along the Central Highway at kilometer 74.
History of Matucana
Matucana was founded a long time ago, in 1647. A man named Miguel de Castro y García started the town. He was a descendant of one of the Spanish explorers who came to Peru with Francisco Pizarro.
Miguel de Castro y García found gold in the hills near Matucana. This area used to be a special holy place for the Incas. He became very rich from the gold mine. Later, he moved back to live in Lima.
Sadly, a big earthquake on October 21, 1756, caused a huge avalanche. This avalanche buried the gold mine. The earthquake, called the Santa Ursula earthquake, also caused a lot of damage in the city of Lima.
Matucana's Climate
Matucana has a semi-arid climate. This means it is quite dry, but not a desert. The temperatures are usually mild, meaning not too hot or too cold.
The temperatures in Matucana stay pretty steady all year. There are only small changes between months. During the dry season, the days are warmer and the nights are cooler. This difference is bigger than in the wet season. The average high temperature for the year is about 21.4°C (70.5°F). The average low temperature is around 9.8°C (49.6°F).
Matucana gets about 311.6 millimeters (12.27 inches) of rain each year. Most of this rain falls during the wet season. This wet period usually lasts from January to March. From May to September, there is almost no rain at all.
| Climate data for Matucana (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 20.3 (68.5) |
20.0 (68.0) |
20.1 (68.2) |
21.0 (69.8) |
21.8 (71.2) |
21.8 (71.2) |
21.9 (71.4) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.4 (72.3) |
21.9 (71.4) |
20.9 (69.6) |
21.4 (70.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.8 (51.4) |
10.9 (51.6) |
10.9 (51.6) |
10.1 (50.2) |
9.5 (49.1) |
8.5 (47.3) |
8.2 (46.8) |
8.4 (47.1) |
9.4 (48.9) |
9.8 (49.6) |
9.8 (49.6) |
10.7 (51.3) |
9.8 (49.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 60.0 (2.36) |
76.7 (3.02) |
83.7 (3.30) |
25.9 (1.02) |
0.8 (0.03) |
0.1 (0.00) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.01) |
1.3 (0.05) |
8.2 (0.32) |
13.7 (0.54) |
40.9 (1.61) |
311.6 (12.27) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Life and Activities in Matucana
Matucana is a popular place for people who enjoy nature and outdoor activities. These visitors are sometimes called "eco-tourists." The town has beautiful waterfalls in the deep valleys nearby. There are also many hiking trails to explore.
Matucana is also the starting point for a popular bicycle race. It is called the "De Las Montanas y Mar" race. This race happens every year between Matucana and Lima.
The bicycle race begins at the Chez Victor Restaurant in Matucana. It finishes at the La Rosa Nautica Restaurant in Lima. Interestingly, a descendant of Miguel de Castro y García (who founded Matucana) runs the Chez Victor restaurant. The La Rosa Nautica Restaurant is owned by the descendants of the Viceroy. The Viceroy was the official who gave the lands around Matucana to Miguel de Castro y García a long time ago.
See also
In Spanish: Matucana (ciudad) para niños
