Huancayo Ciudad Incontrastable

March 20, 2017 SouthAmerica

Centrally located Huancayo is known for being the bread basket of Peru because of the Mantaro Valley’s production of potatoes and wheat. The wide intermontane valley has the broad Rio Mantaro running its length and is overlooked to east by the snowy 5,000 meter summits of the Huaytapallana Massif. The bordering extensive river terraces provide flat farmlands, which is a scare resource in the extreme steep topography of the Andes. This fact explains the Inca and pre-Inca farming in the region. Huancayo, at an elevation of 3,261 meters, is the capital of the Junín Department. The city is located at 306 km from Lima, which takes about 7 hours travel time by bus. Alternatively, small airplanes fly from Lima to the rural airport of Jauja in 30 minutes, and from there a 30-minute taxi trip connects to Huancayo.

Huancayo’s name derives from the early tribes called Los Huancas, who, along with the Xauxas, were the first settlers in the Jatunmayo Valley (Valle del Mantaro) before the Incas. Los Huancas were known for their tireless workers, fierce character and fierce warriors. Huancayo was awarded the title of “Ciudad Incontrastable” in honor to their heroic act and sacrifices for their freedom and independence from Spain. It has been recorded how Huancayo was the town where its habitants shown such resistance that they could not bend them, acquiring the title of City with the honorable name of Incontrastable, a “City with no equal.” This title was provisionally established in March 19^th 1822, and it was confirmed in January 30^th 1828.

Huancayo is a major commercial center and plays a major role as a market town for the province. The Mantaro Valley in the central highlands of Peru has always been a principal agricultural and livestock center. They grow potatoes, corn, quinua, maca, yacon, artichokes, and ocas, among other local products. Potatoes were treated in a unique way to preserve them by soaking, washing, and then leaving them in the open to dry out. The dehydrated potatoes are called Chuño, also commonly known as papa seca. The same process is used to treat Oca, making a product called Caya. Both Chuño and Caya are used in the traditional meals of Huancayo.

Huancayo is famous for its Feria Dominical (Sunday market) that started in 1976, taking place on the Huancavelica Avenue. This market is where local and regional crafters meet to offer their wide variety of handcrafts at low prices. Because Huancayo is midway between the coast and the jungle, it is a crossroad were products from both areas are exchanged. Huancayo is also known for the many small pueblos scattered through the valley with their colorful festivals and local art crafts. The region stands alone from the tourist circuits of Peru, permitting a foreigner to see Peru without the pressure of tour agencies and hassles that permeate Cusco.

https://www.southamericatotheworld.com/ — Valle del Mantaro – 2015

If you count with only one day to spend in Huancayo, Sunday is the best day to visit. Of course, if possible, you can plan a longer visit. The Sunday Market is where you can spend your time and get the most of your visit. Different artisans offer typical food, souvenirs, furniture, clothes, shoes, and special handicrafts as for example the “Filigrana” made of silver, its work is impressive due to the detailed work involved, you can find jewelry or silver decorations. The silver workers are located in the small town of San Jeronimo de Tunan, which is about a twenty minutes taxi ride northeast of Huancayo, this is where you will find them any other day. Another popular town is Cochas Chico where its artisans specializes in “mates burilados” or carved gourds with their exquisite detailed designs. These artists also distribute their gourds in the Huancayo central market. To the east of town, in about a fifteen-minute taxi trip, they also sell loom-woven alpaca or wool blankets, called “mantas”, with the local designs unique to the region. In most Peruvian blankets one can distinguish the style differences between them that mark which province they were made in. Huancayo blankets tend to be coarse woven, with large squares in deep blue and white backgrounds featuring geometric shapes within each square.

A good way to spend a Sunday in Huancayo is to start with a Mondongo or Patasca for breakfast at El Leopardo restaurant. These are local favorite soup-style stews served on Sundays. Afterwards visit the Sunday Market at around 10:00 a.m. Plan on spending at least two hours there if you are interested in artesanias. If you want to go through the entire market it can easily take five hours and a lot of walking. By the time you are done shopping it will be time for a late lunch and the classic meal will be our famous Pachamanca at El Huancahuasi Restaurant, or outside Huancayo you can find what is called Restaurantes campestres that also serve fresh Pachamanca, also only served on Sunday.

Some main attractions in Huancayo

El Parque de la Identidad Huanca. I am proud to say that I witnessed the construction of this distinct landmark in Huancayo and I also had the opportunity to talk to some of the workers. I know how much detailed work has been involved in the creation of this rather unique park. This is the Folklore Identity Park with sculptures of many artists that have contributed to it. A set of small shops also feature some of the handcrafts from the region. The park takes up one city block, and is designed with many narrow stone paths leading through the sculptures, pools, and native plant gardens. The main centerpiece of the park is a giant Mate Burilado made of stone pieces representing the handcrafts of the valley. The plants used to embellish the park are native flowers, with the all-time favorite being the Retama and the famous Cantuta the Peruvian National Flower. From anywhere in the city you can take a taxi and they will bring you to the park; from the main Plaza Constitucion it takes about 15 minutes.

Cerrito de la Libertad it is a lookout point, or commonly known as El Mirador, offering the expansive city views. The park and gardens here are perfect for kids to play in, with plenty for them to do. It also has snacks and ice cream for sale. The small chapel at the summit is also quite picturesque.

La Casa del Artesano is a convenient place for shopping the local crafts. Many local artists meet here and offer a wide variety of handcrafts such as jewelry, pottery, mates burilados, and mantas (tapestries). The artist market is located near the Main Plaza Constitucion on the corner of Calle Real and Paseo La Breña.

The Museum Salesiano “Vicente Rasetto” is inside the school Colegio Salesiano Santa Rosa de Huancayo located at Av. Santa Rosa 299 Huancayo. The museum has a taxidermy collection of animals from the Peruvian Jungle. It also features local pottery and artifacts.

Surrounding places to visit

Santa Rosa de Ocopa convent was established by the Franciscans in the 17^th century as a training center for missionaries destined to work in the Peruvian jungle. El museo de Santa Rosa de Ocopa has three main areas to explore: The museum shows indigenous wildlife, some old artifact and old maps. The library is indeed a treasure with more than 25,000 volumes some dating back to 14^th century. The hallways have old oil on canvass painting showing missionary work in the jungle. The overland route to the east passes the Cordillera Occidental, descends to the jungle city of Satipo, and then outward to the mission post Puerto Ocopa. From here river and overland travel extendes as far as the Rio Ucayali and the now lost mission of Florida in which earlier explorers, such as Paul Marcoy, used as a way station. This strong connection to the jungle explains the collection of specimens in the Santa Rosa de Ocopa museum.

Huancayo has undergone an immense population boom since I grew up there. The development continues at a rapid pace, the colonial buildings are disappearing, and apartment buildings sprouting up without any city planning or vision. Traffic has arrived in Huancayo, and along with the new buildings, they have transformed the city into a bit of Lima on top of the Andes. The surrounding small pueblos retain the relaxed rural settings with adobe walls, farm animals, and agriculture. A visit to Huancayo should definitely focus on making countryside trips to see every day Andean lifestyle. Try visiting Chupaca, Orcotuna, Sicaya, Mito, Concepción, Sincos, Masma, Molinos, and Huala. Odds are one of these places will be having their monthly festival!