Peru – a journey to discover the land of the Inca civilization
The largest of the countries of South America, bordering with Ecuador and Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and from the west washed by the Pacific Ocean, Peru is a country with ancient origins, whose evidence is presented in mountainous areas, upstream Titicaca, and in particular in the Machu-Picchu region. Presumably Peru was inhabited by primitive peoples even in 1000 BC. The most important stage that should be highlighted in the history of Peru undoubtedly refers to the beginning of the sixteenth century, namely, to the period of the Spanish invasion and, like many colonial countries, Peru also gained its independence only in the late nineteenth century.
To date, Peru is a presidential democratic republic, with the capital in Lima, the entire historical center of which is declared on the World Heritage List. This quaint old city bears the imprint of a colonial era, although at the same time it is a cosmopolitan metropolis of South America. Here you can visit places of traditional Peruvian culture, popular museums of pre-Columbian art.
Peru, undoubtedly, is a country with the richest cultural and natural attractions, but in particular, it is a true paradise for fans of exciting trips to places of archaeological excavations. You can note the most interesting and most popular of these places.
Machu Picchu is a sacred mountain of pre-Columbian peoples, in particular, it was chosen by the Incas as a ritual place. Here, at an altitude of 3399 meters, in the mountain ranges of the Andes, lies the imperial city, which is the center of the Inca civilization. This mountainous city bewitches with its grandeur of centuries-old stones, which have become the keepers of eternity.
Not far from the capital, just 300 kilometers distant, you can reach the National Reserve de Parakas, which is among the largest reserves in South America. Within the reserve you can see the largest of the deserts of the continent, a feature of which are Cerro Blanco, the world’s highest sand dunes.
A few kilometers from Lima is the Monastery of St. Catalina in Arequipa considered the largest one in the world. It is disposed on the territory of 20,000 square meters. Today the monastery is inhabited by a dozen nuns.
Among the popular tourist attractions are the Inca Trail, a pedestrian route leading from the valley of the sacred mountain of Machu Picchu, several kilometers long.
Placed among the archaeological excavations of Machu Picchu, the Temple of the Sun also occupies an important place among the sights to be seen in Peru. He is the most important of the temples of Inca civilization, where they worshiped the Sun God. Given the historical period in which it was built, the temple impresses with its size. The visit is especially interesting at night.