Capital: City of Huancavelica
Altitude: 3.676 m.a.s.l.
Distance: not available

The province of Huancavelica is located in the central part of the country, in the Andean region of Peru.

Huancavelica is traditionally a miner province with a rugged landscape with mountains, summits and beautiful lagoons. Its capital Huancavelica is enclosed between high mountains that serve as a natural shelter. Due to its location it maintains a dry climate with low temperatures.

The wealth of its soil made it famous during the time of the colony. Among several mines that are currently exploited, there are: Cobriza, en Churcampa (gold and copper); Julcani in Angaraes (silver, lead and copper); Caudalosa Grande in Castrovirreyna (lead, copper, silver and zinc); and in Huachocolpa (silver, lead and copper).

Huancavelica has eight churches of great architectonic wealth from the 17th., century and a strech of cultivated land (la Virgen Dolorosa). In Santa Ana, the oldest church, they venerate the famous image of the Virgen del Rosario, known as Virgen Forastera (Traveling Virgin) because it was brought from Quito.

Outstanding are also its famous Cathedral (with its beautiful silver coated altar); as well the churches Santo Domingo, San Francisco (with a great collection of paintings with religious motives); San Cristóbal; La Ascension and San Sebastian.

It is interesting to visit:

Square of Arms
The Cathedral San Antonio
Arch of the Triumph
Regional Museum Daniel Hernandez
Thermal Baths of San Cristobal

Tourist Site Attractions:

The town of Santa Barbara is characterized by its old mining facilities with colonial vestiges. Only 4 kilometers away from Huancavelica there is an old mine known as "La Mina de la Muerte" (the mine of the death) that was exploited during the vice-royalty of the colony. The natives were forced to extract the mercury which was required to purify the silver. In the zone there are still vestiges of that old colonial settlement.

The town of Izcuchaca, considered a pottery center and also a thermal waters spa.

Archeological site of Inkañan Uchkus, located at 24 kilometers from the city of Huancavelica. It was considered an important religious center and of astronomical observation. On one of its platforms it can see water-mirrors which let it follow the movements of the sun and the moon.

Archeological site of Huaytara, located at 338 kilometers from Lima, in the county of Castrovirreyna. It was originally an Inca construction used to build the church of San Juan of Huaytara during the vice-roralty, divided in two sections: The Inca Palace and the Inca Baths.

The Inca palace has walls of 1,65 meters width and 3,70 meters height. This building has many outstanding details of the Inca culture, like the use of niches and doors. At one side, there are the Inca baths, with similar characteristics.

The ruins of Incahuasi, located at 20 kilometers from Huaytara. Archeological site that shows several rooms, squares and palaces. There are some places that must have served as astronomical observatories like the "intihuatanas" or sundials.

Lagoon of Choclococha, located at 5.605 m.a.s.l., offers a beautiful landscape with high, imposing mountains that reflect in its blue water. An ideal place to hunt and fish.