Pikillacta — Attraction in Andahuaylillas

LOCAL TOUR GUIDE CUSCO - PIKILLACTA.. Located about 30 kilometers from Cusco, Piquillacta is the best known archaeological complex of Wari culture outside its capital, located in Ayacucho. The Wari Empire thrived between the years 500 A.D. and 1000 A.D. and although the center of Wari’s empire was mainly located in the province of Huanta (Ayacucho), there are evidences that its influence expanded from the north mochica area down to the Nazca territories down south, encompassing the mountains and the coast of the actual peruvian lands.

Piquillacta’s occupation lasted from the VI to X century. The name of the citadel comes from the quechua words “piki”, a kind of flea, and “llacta”, small, meaning “small town”. Archeological evidence suggest that the Wari, a civilization previous to the Incas, settled first in the neighboring Huaro valley, and then, around the 530 A.D., started the construction of Piquillacta, which would confirm the theory of a remote encounter between the Cusco’s and Ayacucho’s people, centuries before the Wari expansion.

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If you have a cucso tourist pass, come on down to Pikillacta and get it punched. You might be thinking, you've seen plenty of Inca ruins, but the reality is, these are Wari ruins of a granary built before the Inca's came. The excavated houses had plaster on the walls, and the stone wall have mortar holding them together. The Incas never used either of these. The Wari left after water dried up and the Incas moved in later. However, even though the Incas operated the city wall/gate nearby, they never used Pikillacta for their...

Pikillaqta was a peaceful and underrated site. It is very different from the other Inca ruins, with long straight walls and a large layout. You can see how the Wari people built this city before the Inca came. It feels quiet and open, with great views of the valley and lake nearby.

There were very few people when we visited, which made it more enjoyable. If you are interested in history and like visiting places without crowds, this one is...