Cajamarca

This article is about the city of Cajamarca. For other uses, see Cajamarca (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Catamarca.

Cajamarca (Spanish pronunciation: [kaxaˈmaɾka]), also known by the Quechua name, Kashamarka, is the capital and largest city of the Cajamarca Region as well as an important cultural and commercial center in the northern Andes. It is located in the northern highlands of Peru at approximately 2,750 m (8,900 ft) above sea level in the valley of the Mashcon river. Cajamarca had an estimated population of about 226,031 inhabitants in 2015, making it the 13th largest city in Peru.

Cajamarca
City
Clockwise from top: Partial view of the city, Coliseo Gran Qhapaq, Los Baños del Inca, Ventanillas de Otuzco and Jirón Amalia Puga,
Flag Coat of arms
Interactive map of Cajamarca
Cajamarca Location in Peru
Coordinates: 7°09′27″S 78°31′03″W
Country	Peru
Region	Cajamarca
Province	Cajamarca
Founded	c. 1320 by pre-Columbian ethnic groups Spanish settlement in 1532
Government
• Mayor	Víctor Andrés Villar Narro (2019–2022)
Area
• Total	392.47 km2 (151.53 sq mi)
Elevation	2,750 m (9,020 ft)
Population  (2017)
• Total	201,329
• Estimate  (2020)	245,137
• Density	512.98/km2 (1,328.6/sq mi)
Demonym	Cajamarquino/a
Time zone	UTC-5 (PET)
Area code	76
Website	municaj.gob.pe

Cajamarca has a mild highland climate, and the area has very fertile soil. The city is well known for its dairy products and mining activity in the surroundings.

Among its tourist attractions, Cajamarca has numerous examples of Spanish colonial religious architecture, beautiful landscapes, pre-Hispanic archeological sites and hot springs at the nearby town of Baños del Inca (Baths of the Inca). The history of the city is highlighted by the Battle of Cajamarca, which marked the defeat of the Inca Empire by Spanish invaders as the Incan emperor Atahualpa was captured and executed here.

Etymology

The Quechua etymology of the toponym is relatively straightforward. Colonial spellings Caxamalca ~ Caxamarca match contemporary Quechua pronunciation Kashamarka (written here in contemporary Quechua orthography), where marka is a Quechua-Aymara word for 'town' or 'region', and kasha is a Central and Northern Quechua word for 'thorn' or 'thorny plant'; thus, the compound name meant originally 'town/ province of thorny plants'. Afterwards, a Spanish general sound change took place that transformed its voiceless postalveolar fricative into a velar one ʃ > x, thus generating contemporary Spanish pronunciation of the place name. Confusion about the etymology has mainly originated from a false etymology offered by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, who was not familiar with Quechua dialects outside Cuzco. Trying to find an etymon for caxa, Garcilaso offered qasa ('frost', written here in contemporary Quechua orthography). Still nowadays, Cuzco-based Academia Mayor de la Lengua Quechua's dictionary writes the name as Qasamarka according to the Garcilaso etymology.

History

The city and its surroundings have been occupied by several cultures for more than 2000 years. Traces of pre-Chavín cultures can be seen in nearby archaeological sites, such as Cumbe Mayo and Kuntur Wasi.

Huacaloma is an archaeological site located 3.5 km southeast of the historic center of the city of Cajamarca (currently in the middle of the Metropolitan Area of Cajamarca). Its antiquity is calculated between 1500 and 1000 BC, that is to say, it belongs to the Andean Formative Period. It presents enclosures with bonfires, similar to those of La Galgada and Kotosh, but with simpler design. It was a ceremonial center where fire rituals were performed.

In 1986 the Organization of American States designated Cajamarca as a site of Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Americas.

Pre-Columbian Cajamarca

The Cajamarca culture began flourishing as a culture during the first millennium AD.

The unbroken stylistic continuity (i.e., autonomy) of Cajamarca art from its inception around 200–100 BC up to the Spanish conquest is remarkable, given the presence of powerful neighbors and the series of imperial expansions that reached this area. It is known essentially only from its fine ceramics made with locally abundant white kaolin paste fired at high temperatures (over 1,000 °C).

Cajamarca culture pottery has long been recognized as a prestige ware, given its distinctiveness and wide, if sporadic, distribution. Initial Cajamarca ceramics (200 BC to AD 200) are largely confined to the Cajamarca Basin. Early Cajamarca ceramics (AD 200–450) have more complex and diverse decorations and extensive distribution. They are found in much of the North Highlands as well as in yunka zones on both the Amazonian and Pacific sides of the Andes. In fact, at least one Early Cajamarca high-prestige burial has been documented at the Moche site of San Jose de Moro (lower Jequetepeque), and a set of imported kaolin spoons has been found at the site of Moche, the city capital of the Southern Moche polity.

Cajamarca ceramics achieved their greatest prestige and widest distribution during Middle Cajamarca subphase B (700–900), coinciding with Moche demise and dominance of the Wari empire in Peru. Middle Cajamarca prestige ceramics have been found at a great deal of Wari sites, as far as southern-frontier Wari sites such as the city of Pikillacta located in Cusco region. Moreover, the construction of the north coastal settlement of Cerro Chepen, a massive terraced mountain city-fortress in Moche territory is attributed to an apparent joint effort between Wari and Cajamarca polities to ruler over this area of Peru.

However, the rise of the Middle Sican state on the north coast around 900-1000 saw a notable reduction in the distribution of Late Cajamarca ceramics back to the extent seen during Moche Phase IV.

Analysis of settlement patterns in the Cajamarca Valley shows a significant reduction in the number of settlements during the Late Cajamarca phase (AD 850–1200). Scholars interpret this reduction in the number of settlements as the result of population reduction and/or dispersion, probably linked to the end of Wari influence in the region and the collapse of the EIP/MH regional polity organized around the center of Coyor in the Cajamarca Valley.

With the collapse of Wari influence in the Cajamarca region the number of settlements first dropped, but then gradually increased by the Final Cajamarca phase (1250–1532). Cajamarca maintained its prestige, as shown by the influence its ceramics still had on the coast. During the Final Cajamarca phase settlements like Guzmango Viejo or Tantarica in the western slopes of the cordillera to the coast, as well as Santa Delia in the Cajamarca Valley became particularly large (> 20ha). These centers have a larger number of clearly distinguishable elite residential units as well as a greater number of fine ceramics than any earlier sites. It is clear that they are top ranked settlements in the region. At least the centers of the upper sections of the coastal valleys to the west probably benefited from their strategic location in relation first to Sican and later to Chimu. Scholars interpret the changes of the Final Cajamarca phase as evidence of a renewed prosperity and integration of the region.

15th century - Inca Empire and Cuismancu Kingdom

During the period between 1463 and 1471, Ccapac Yupanqui and his nephew Tupac Inca Yupanqui, both Apuskispay-kuna or Inca generals, conquered the city of Cajamarca and brought it into the Tawantinsuyu or Inca Empire, at the time it was ruled by Tupac Inca Yupanqui's father, Pachacutiq. Nevertheless, the city of Kasha Marka had already been founded by other ethnic groups almost a century before its incorporation into the Inca empire, approximately in the year 1320.

Although Ccapac Yupanqui conquered the city of Cajamarca, the supply line was poorly made and controlled, as he traveled hastily to Cajamarca without building or conquering on much of the journey from central Peru, Ccapac Yupanqui believed Inca army's supply line of troops and supplies wasn't optimal and thus put at risk the Inca control over the newly acquired city of Cajamarca. Ccapac Yupanqui left part of his troops garrisoned at Cajamarca, and then he returned to Tawantinsuyu in order to ask for reinforcements and conducted a more extensive campaign in the territories of central Peru, building a great quantity of infrastructure (such as tambos, qullqas, pukaras, etc.) along the Inca road. Incas remodeled Cajamarca following Inca canons of architecture, however, not much of it has survived since the Spanish did the same after conquering Cajamarca.

Colonial accounts tell of Cuismancu Kingdom, the historical counterpart of the Final Cajamarca archaeological culture. According to the chroniclers, Cuismanco, Guzmango or Kuismanku (modern Quechua spelling) was the political entity that ruled the Cajamarca area before the arrival of the Incas and was incorporated into the Inca dominion.

In 1532 Atahualpa defeated his brother Huáscar in a battle for the Inca throne in Quito (in present-day Ecuador). On his way to Cusco to claim the throne with his army, he stopped at Cajamarca.

Capture of Atahualpa (1532 A.D.)

Believed Ransom Room of Atahualpa.

On reaching Cajamarca, Francisco Pizarro received news that Atahualpa was resting in Pultumarca, a nearby hot springs complex, Pizarro soon sent some of representatives under command of the young captain Hernando De Soto to invite the Inca to a feast.

After arriving at Atahualpa's camp, Hernando de Soto interviewed with Atahualpa. The Inca Emperor was seated on his gold throne or usnu, with two of his concubines on both sides holding a veil that made only his silhouette recognizable. Atahualpa, impressed by the Spanish horses, asked Hernando de Soto to do an equestrian demonstration. In the final act of his demonstration, Hernando De Soto rode on horseback directly up to Atahualpa to intimidate him stopping at the last moment, however Atahualpa did not move or change his expression in the slightest. Nevertheless, some of Atahualpa's retainers drew back and for it they were executed that day, after the Spanish committee returned to Cajamarca.

Atahualpa agreed to meet with Pizarro the next day, oblivious to the ploy Pizarro had prepared for him. The following day, Atahualpa arrives in procession with his court and soldiers, although unarmed, Spanish accounts tell of the splendor shown by Atahulpa's display, in addition to musicians and dancers, Indians covered the Inca road on which their king would travel with hundreds of colorful flower petals, moreover, Atahualpa's retainers marched unison without speaking a word.

Several noble leaders from conquered nations were also present, mostly local kuraka-kuna from the towns nearby, however, there were also notable Tawantinsuyu's nobles among them, there were the prominent rulers known as the "Lord of Cajamarca" and the "Lord of Chicha", both descendants of kings and owners of huge accumulations of wealth and lands in the Inca Empire, each one accompanied with its own sumptuous court, moreover, both were carried on litters in the same manner of Atahualpa. The Lord of Chicha's court was so opulent, even more than Atahualpa's, that the Spanish, most of them who did not meet Atahualpa until then, at first thought the Lord of Chicha was the Inca Emperor.

Pizarro and his 168 soldiers met Atahualpa in the Cajamarca plaza after weeks of marching from Piura. The Spanish Conquistadors and their Indian allies captured Atahualpa in the Battle of Cajamarca, where they also massacred several thousand unarmed Inca civilians and soldiers in an audacious surprise attack of cannon, cavalry, lances and swords. The rest of the army of 40,000–80,000 (Conquistadors' estimates) was stationed some kilometers away from Cajamarca in a large military camp, near the Inca resort town of Pultamarca (currently known as "Baños del Inca"), with its thousands of tents as looking from afar "like a very beautiful and well-ordered city, because everyone had his own tent".

Having taken Atahualpa captive, they held him in Cajamarca's main temple. Atahualpa offered his captors a ransom for his freedom: a room filled with gold and silver (possibly the place now known as El Cuarto del Rescate or "The Ransom Room"), within two months. Although having complied with the offering, Atahualpa was brought to trial and executed by the Spaniards. The Pizarros, Almagro, Candia, De Soto, Estete, and many others shared in the ransom.

Colonial era

Cajamarca in 1615 by Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala

Within the minting of coins in America, Cajamarca was the first city in Peru where coins were manufactured for later shipment to Spain, which were obtained from ransom, known as Macuquinas.

In the 17th century, the city achieved a significant level of development. By 1678, there were 362 Spanish families residing there. On December 19, 1802, Charles IV granted it the title of provincial capital, with the privileges of forming a city council.

There are important events in Peruvian history that took place in this city, such as the first mixed marriage in Peru, between the 14-year-old indigenous princess Quispe Sisa and the 54-year-old Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro.

During this period, the main Baroque- style churches and convents were built , which can still be admired today in the city's historic center, such as the Cathedral, the Convent of San Francisco , the Belén monumental complex, and the Convent of La Recoleta. It is also worth highlighting the slow but continuous and fluid process of cultural mixing that occurred between the native population and the Spanish Europeans who arrived and settled during the colonial and later viceroyalty periods, giving rise to a racial and cultural blend that remains remarkably strong to this day.

The corregimientos were abolished in 1784 by King Charles III and replaced by intendancies, after the large uprising led by Túpac Amaru II in the southern region of Peru. The Intendancy of Trujillo was created from the territory of the Bishopric of Trujillo. The corregimientos became districts within the intendancy.

The system of intendancies was established in the Viceroyalty of Peru by royal order of August 5, 1783, applying the Royal Ordinance of Intendants of January 28, 1782. The first intendant of Trujillo was Fernando de Saavedra, who took office in 1784, appointed by the viceroy on the proposal of the general inspector Jorge Escobedo y Alarcón and approved by the king on January 24, 1785.

Independence and Republican era

View of Cajamarca from Cerro Santa Apolonia

Peru declared its independence in 1821 and the city of Cajamarca maintained its importance within the country's political and administrative organization. The city was one of the most important in all of northern Peru. In 1854, it was recognized as the capital of the department of Cajamarca, a result of the demonstration led by Toribio Casanova López, Pedro Villanueva, and Juan Egúsquiza for the recognition of Cajamarca as a department and its independence from the department of La Libertad . In this sense, Cajamarca was the first city in northern Peru to achieve administrative and political independence from Trujillo. Since then, it has been steadily developing a process of decentralization from Lima, the capital of the Republic, from Trujillo, and from the centralism of the coast.

During the last decades of the 20th Template:Siglo and the beginning of the 21st Template:Siglo the city began urban and economic development at a faster pace than ever before. The city expanded to occupy almost a fifth of the valley, partially merging with the nearby district of Baños del Inca .Template:Siglo

Geography

Aerial view of Cajamarca

Cajamarca is situated at 2750 m (8900 ft) above sea level on an inter-Andean valley irrigated by three main rivers: Mashcon, San Lucas and Chonta; the former two join together in this area to form the Cajamarca river.

Climate

Cajamarca has a subtropical highland climate (Cwb, in the Köppen climate classification) which is characteristic of high elevations at tropical latitudes. This city presents a semi-dry, temperate, semi-cold climate with presence of rainfall mostly in spring and summer (from October to April) with little or no rainfall the rest of the year.

The rainy season, which lasts from December to March, corresponds to the coastal summer. The dry season, which coincides with autumn and winter in the Southern Hemisphere, is quite mild during the day and cool at night, occurring between May and September.

Daily average temperatures have a great variation, being pleasant during the day but cold during the night and dawn. January is the warmest month, with an average maximum temperature of 72 °F (22 °C) and an average minimum of 45 °F (7 °C). The coldest months are June and July, both with an average maximum of 71 °F (21 °C) but with an average minimum of 38 °F (3 °C). Frosts may occur but are less frequent and less intense than in the southern Peruvian Andes.

Climate data for Cajamarca
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	21.5 (70.7)	21.1 (70.0)	20.9 (69.6)	21.3 (70.3)	21.6 (70.9)	21.4 (70.5)	21.4 (70.5)	21.8 (71.2)	21.7 (71.1)	21.6 (70.9)	21.9 (71.4)	22.0 (71.6)	21.5 (70.7)
Daily mean °C (°F)	14.2 (57.6)	13.9 (57.0)	13.9 (57.0)	13.8 (56.8)	13.1 (55.6)	12.4 (54.3)	12.3 (54.1)	12.7 (54.9)	13.4 (56.1)	13.9 (57.0)	13.8 (56.8)	14.0 (57.2)	13.5 (56.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	6.9 (44.4)	6.7 (44.1)	6.9 (44.4)	6.2 (43.2)	4.5 (40.1)	3.4 (38.1)	3.1 (37.6)	3.6 (38.5)	5 (41)	6.2 (43.2)	5.7 (42.3)	5.9 (42.6)	5.3 (41.6)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	83.9 (3.30)	96.4 (3.80)	110.3 (4.34)	80.3 (3.16)	34.6 (1.36)	7 (0.3)	6.3 (0.25)	11.3 (0.44)	32.8 (1.29)	81.9 (3.22)	73.2 (2.88)	72.6 (2.86)	690.6 (27.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	13	17	17	14	9	4	2	2	9	9	8	11	115
Average relative humidity (%)	67	67	72	69	64	58	55	55	57	64	64	64	63
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization
Source 2: Danish Meteorological Institute (precipitation days and humidity 1931–1960)

Demographics

In recent years, the city has experienced a high rate of migration from other provinces in the region and elsewhere in Peru, mainly due to the mining boom. This phenomenon has caused the city's population to increase considerably, from an estimated 80,931 in 1981 to an estimated 283,767 in 2014, an increase of almost three times the population for 33 years. Likewise, the city has recently entered into a conurbation process with the town of Baños del Inca (which by 2014 has more than 20,000 inhabitants in the urban area) and with some populated centers close to these cities. According to INEI, projections exist for the urban conglomerate to reach 500,000 inhabitants by 2030.

Economy

Cajamarca is surrounded by a fertile valley, which makes this city an important center of trade of agricultural goods. Its most renowned industry is that of dairy products. Of the 1.2 million tons of milk Peru produces a year, most of it comes from the Cajamarca department. There are 30,000 registered milk producers in Cajamarca and over 503,000 liters of milk are produced each day, which makes Cajamarca the most important dairy and cheese-making region in the country. The principal cheeses produced are Mantecoso, queso andino tip suizo, and queso fresco.

Mega Plaza Cajamarca

In 1998, cheese makers in Cajamarca joined forces to form a cheese-makers' association. Thus in September 1999, a group of 39 small and medium-scale enterprises (SME) got together and created the Asociación de Productores de Derivados Lácteos (APDL), Cajamarca's official cheese-makers' association focusing on mantecoso cheese. APDL then applied to the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI) for a collective trademark, "Poronguito", and it was granted in 2000.

Yanacocha is an active gold mining site 45 km north of Cajamarca, which has boosted the economy of the city since the 1990s. It is one of the largest gold mines in the world.

This city is home to branches of the country's largest department store chains. It boasts two malls: El Quinde Plaza Cajamarca and Real Plaza Cajamarca . It also features a power center called Open Plaza.

Cityscape

Architecture

Street in Cajamarca at night

The style of ecclesiastical architecture in the city differs from other Peruvian cities due to the geographic and climatic conditions. Cajamarca is further north with a milder climate; the colonial builders used available stone rather than the clay often used in the coastal desert cities.

Cajamarca has six Christian churches of Spanish colonial style: San José, La Recoleta, La Inmaculada Concepción, San Antonio, the Cathedral and El Belén. Although all were built in the seventeenth century, the latter three are the most outstanding due to their sculpted facades and ornamentation.

The facades of these three churches were left unfinished, most likely due to lack of funds. The façade of the Cathedral is the most elegantly decorated, to the extent that it was completed. El Belén has a completed façade of the main building, but the tower is half finished. The San Antonio church was left mostly incomplete.

Cathedral of Cajamarca

Main article: St. Catherine's Cathedral, Cajamarca

Cathedral of Cajamarca

Originally designated to be a parish church, the cathedral took 80 years to construct (1682–1762); the façade remains unfinished. The Cathedral shows how colonial Spanish influence was introduced in the Incan territory.

Side Portals: The side portals are made of pilasters on corbels. It also bears the royal escutcheon of Spain. The portal is considered to have a seventeenth-century character, found in the rectangular emphasis of the design.

Plan: The plan of the cathedral is based on a basilica plan, (with a single apse, barrel vaults in the nave, a transept and sanctuary), but the traditional dome over the crossing has been omitted.

Façade: The façade is noted for the detailing of its sculptures and the artistry in carving. Decorative details include grapevines carved into the spiral columns of the cathedral, with little birds pecking at the grapes. The frieze in the first story is composed of rectangular blocks carved with leaves. The detail of the main portal extends to flower pots and cherubs' heads next to pomegranates. "The façade of Cajamarca Cathedral is one of the remarkable achievements of Latin American art."

San Antonio

Construction began in 1699, with the original plans made by Matías Pérez Palomino. This church is similar in plan to the Cathedral, but the interiors are quite different. San Antonio is a significantly larger structure and has incorporated the large dome over the crossing. Features of the church include large cruciform piers with Doric pilasters, a plain cornice, and stone carved window frames.

Façade: This façade is the most incomplete. While designed in a style similar to that of the cathedral, it is a simplified version.

Convent of San Francisco

Church of San Francisco

It is located southeast of the Plaza de Armas, next to a small plaza. The stone was donated by Don Antonio Astopilco, who thus earned the right for himself and his family to be buried in the church's catacombs. Designed by the Spanish architect Matías Pérez Palomino, it consists of three naves and is carved entirely from volcanic rock. Its first phase of construction began in the late 17th Template:Siglo as a parish church for Indigenous people, and the addition of its front towers was completed in 1959. The Barboza family commissioned the original plans from Spain.

Adjacent to this temple is the sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows, patron saint of Cajamarca. It is particularly striking for its interior architecture carved from volcanic rock. It also houses a museum of religious art, an art gallery, and the famous crypts or catacombs.

Recoleta Convent

It is located at the intersection of Héroes de San Ramón and El Maestro avenues in the San Sebastián neighborhood, five blocks from the main square. Built in the 18th century, its facade is carved in stone and highlighted by two triple-arched bell towers. It consists of a single nave with a dome.

he convent currently houses an annex of the San Ramón school, a religious museum , and the premises of some state educational institutions and institutes.

Culture

Los Baños del Inca

Cajamarca is characterized by a distinctly mestizo culture, reflecting the Western influence on the indigenous population. In some aspects, the prevalence of native customs is evident, while in others, Western European customs predominate. Musical culture exemplifies this, as it is highly diverse, encompassing native, mestizo, Creole, and contemporary Western styles, such as rock music, which is very popular among the city's youth. Various musical genres are practiced by residents from all social strata. To this end, the city boasts several theaters, public squares, nightclubs, and promenades where these cultural activities take place. Painting is another widespread activity in the city, and national painting competitions are held annually. Stone carving and replicating are also a tradition, inherited from the viceroyalty era when the grand churches, plazas, and facades of stately homes were constructed. Finally, literature is widely disseminated, as it is one of the few inland cities in the country that has annual book fairs.

Gastronomy

Many dishes still considered traditional in Cajamarca are said to date back to the Inca era; however, some reflect the influence of cultural fusion, such as the use of spices unknown centuries ago. Among the most well-known are spicy guinea pig stew (picante de cuy) Cajamarca-style, chicken soup, quinoa soup, wheat soup, and other dishes made with potatoes, corn, and chuño (freeze-dried potatoes).

Language

Along with Arequipa, Cajamarca is one of the few cities where the use of "voseo" is still recorded in everyday speech, although its use has declined over the years. However, in the hamlets between Hualgayoc and Bambamarca , such as Vista Alegre, Pampa Verde, La Loma Seca, and others, its use is common in daily life. People generally refer to familiar and close acquaintances with "vos,".

Music and celebration

Carnaval de Cajamarca

Cajamarca is home to the annual celebration of Carnaval, a time when the locals celebrate Carnival before the beginning of Lent. Carnival celebrations are full of parades, autochthonous dances and other cultural activities. A local Carnival custom is to spill water and/or some paint among friends or bypassers. During late January and early February this turns into an all-out water war between men and women (mostly between the ages of 6 and 25) who use buckets of water and water balloons to douse members of the opposite sex. Stores everywhere carry packs of water balloons during this time, and it is common to see wet spots on the pavement and groups of young people on the streets looking for "targets".

Sport

Association football in Cajamarca is one of the main sporting expressions of northern Peru. Its development has primarily taken place in departmental leagues and promotion tournaments, where clubs like Universidad Técnica de Cajamarca and FC Cajamarca achieved national recognition in the Liga 1. Although it faces economic limitations and uneven infrastructure, Cajamarca football maintains a competitive identity sustained by local talent, the Copa Perú, and regional derbies. The city's largest stadium is Estadio Héroes de San Ramón, which has a capacity of over 10,000.

Education

Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca

Cajamarca is home of one of the oldest high schools in Peru: San Ramon School, founded in 1831. Some of the largest, most important schools in the city include Marcelino Champagnat School, Cristo Rey School, Santa Teresita School, and Juan XXIII School.

Cajamarca is also a centre of higher education in the northern Peruvian Andes. The city hosts two local universities: Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca (National University of Cajamarca), a public university, while Universidad Antonio Guillermo Urrelo is a private one. Five other universities have branches in Cajamarca: Universidad Antenor Orrego, Universidad San Pedro, Universidad Alas Peruanas, Universidad Los Angeles de Chimbote and Universidad Privada del Norte.

Transportation

Alto de la Línea highway

The only airport in Cajamarca is Armando Revoredo Airport located 3.26 km northeast of the main square. The airport serves destinations to other cities in northern Peru, along with connecting to the nations main hub in Lima.

Due to the massive urban population growth in recent decades, public transportation has expanded rapidly. Initially, only two bus routes served the Baños del Inca district ; however, to date, nearly 40 rural van lines and 5 bus lines have been identified. Although many cover similar routes, they crisscross the city in almost every direction.

The construction of a railway has been proposed to connect mining areas in the region to a harbor in the Pacific Ocean.

Notable people from Cajamarca

• Napoleón Becerra: (1964–2026) trade unionist, politician, and presidential candidate.
• Carlos Castaneda:(1925–1998) Author and anthropologist.
• es:Lorenzo Iglesias:(1844–1885) Independence hero.
• Mariano Ibérico Rodríguez:(1892–1974) Philosopher.
• es:Rafael Hoyos Rubio:(1924–1981) General.
• Fernando Silva Santisteban:(1929–2006) Anthropologist.
• es:Andrés Zevallos de la Puente:(1916–2017) Painter.
• Mario Urteaga Alvarado:(1875–1957) Painter.
• es:Camilo Blas (José Alfonso Sánchez Urteaga):(1903–1985) Painter, and member of the "Grupo Norte" intellectual community of Peru.
• Amalia Puga de Losada:(1866–1963) Writer and poet.
• José Gálvez Egúsquiza:(1819–1866) War hero from the Battle of Callao.
• es:Toribio Casanova:(1926–1867) Founder of the Cajamarca region.
• es:Aurelio Sousa y Matute:(1860–1925) Politician who served as minister, deputy and senator.

See also

• Spanish conquest of Peru
• Yanacocha
• Yanantin

Further reading

• Conquest of the Incas. John Hemming, 1973.

External links

• Cajamarca travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Media related to Cajamarca at Wikimedia Commons
• Cajamarca map
• Cajamarca information, photos and travel
• Miracle Village International Archived 18 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine a charity that works in Cajamarca with
• Villa Milagro
• Davy College