Huancayo
Encyclopedia
Huancayo is the capital of the Junín Region
, in the central highlands of Peru
. It is located in Junín Province
, of which it is also capital. Situated near the Mantaro Valley
at an altitude of 3,271 meters, it has a population of 377,000 and is the fifth most populous city of the country. Huancayo is the cultural and commercial center of the whole central Peruvian Andes
area.
. Despite efforts to defend its independence, the Huancas were eventually subdued by the Inca leader Pachacutec in 1460 and the region was incorporated into the Inca empire
. It subsequently became a notable stopping point along the Inca Camino Real.
After the Spanish colonization (1534), Huancayo was overshadowed by Jauja
, 18 km to the north, which the conquistador
Francisco Pizarro
established as a provisional capital of Peru until Lima
took over that role.
In 1570, the viceroy
Francisco de Toledo
established the site as the center of his encomienda Guancayo. The town was officially established on June 1st, 1572 with the title of Santísima Trinidad de Huancayo. In 1813, Huancayo celebrated the promulgation of the Constitution of Cadiz
, changing the name of the "Plaza del Comercio" to "Plaza de la Constitución". During the war for independence, Huancayo was liberated on 20 November 1820. Construction on the cathedral
commenced in 1831.
In 1854, when Peru officially ended slavery, the accord was made law in Huancayo. There is a statue in the Plaza Constitución commemorating this.
In 1969, two earthquakes
struck Huancayo, destroying hundreds of homes, damaging in bridges, railways and killing 800-1,000 people. Landslides killed an additional 300 people in suburban districts and near the Huaytapallana mountains.
Today, in addition to its importance as a center of commerce, Huancayo is known for the crafts and the many festivals of the surrounding towns. Having rapidly expanded in recent decades, it has few remaining colonial buildings; the cityscape is dominated by modern constructions. The city is served by the Francisco Carle Airport located in Jauja
but travelers usually use the Limean Airport
.
ancestry) are the two largest ethnic groups in the city. Asian
(mainly descendants of Japanese and Chinese immigrants) and European descendants are important minority groups.
from gauge to gauge; for the 147 km extension to Huancavelica
. In 2009, this line was being standardised.
Junín Region
Junín is a region in the central highlands and westernmost Amazonia of Peru. Its capital is Huancayo.-Geography:The region has a very heterogeneous topography. The western cordillera located near the border with the Lima Region, has snowy and ice covered peaks. On the east, there are high glacier...
, in the central highlands of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. It is located in Junín Province
Junín Province
Junín Province is a province in northwestern Junín Region, in the central highlands of Peru. Its capital is the city of Junín.-Geography:thumb|left|200px|Junín Lake, Perú...
, of which it is also capital. Situated near the Mantaro Valley
Mantaro Valley
The Mantaro Valley, with its main city of Huancayo, lies east of the capital of Peru, Lima. It is a fertile valley containing fields of corn, artichokes, carrots and potatoes, alongside which flows the Mantaro River. The Mantaro Valley is also renowned as an area containing many sites of...
at an altitude of 3,271 meters, it has a population of 377,000 and is the fifth most populous city of the country. Huancayo is the cultural and commercial center of the whole central Peruvian Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
area.
Overview
The area was originally inhabited by the Huancas. At around 500 BC, they were incorporated into the Wari EmpireWari Empire
The Wari Empire was a political formation that emerged around AD 600 in the central highlands of Peru and lasted for about 500 years, to 1100 AD. It operated about the same time as the Tiwanaku culture and at one time was thought to have been derived from it. In 2008 archeologists found a...
. Despite efforts to defend its independence, the Huancas were eventually subdued by the Inca leader Pachacutec in 1460 and the region was incorporated into the Inca empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
. It subsequently became a notable stopping point along the Inca Camino Real.
After the Spanish colonization (1534), Huancayo was overshadowed by Jauja
Jauja
Jauja is a city and capital of Jauja Province in Peru. It is situated in the fertile Mantaro Valley, to the northwest of Huancayo , at an altitude of . Its population according to the 2007 census was 16,424....
, 18 km to the north, which the conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro González, Marquess was a Spanish conquistador, conqueror of the Incan Empire, and founder of Lima, the modern-day capital of the Republic of Peru.-Early life:...
established as a provisional capital of Peru until Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
took over that role.
In 1570, the viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
Francisco de Toledo
Francisco de Toledo, Count of Oropesa
Francisco Álvarez de Toledo, Count of Oropesa was Spanish viceroy of Peru from November 26, 1569 to September 23, 1581.-Early years:...
established the site as the center of his encomienda Guancayo. The town was officially established on June 1st, 1572 with the title of Santísima Trinidad de Huancayo. In 1813, Huancayo celebrated the promulgation of the Constitution of Cadiz
Spanish Constitution of 1812
The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was promulgated 19 March 1812 by the Cádiz Cortes, the national legislative assembly of Spain, while in refuge from the Peninsular War...
, changing the name of the "Plaza del Comercio" to "Plaza de la Constitución". During the war for independence, Huancayo was liberated on 20 November 1820. Construction on the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
commenced in 1831.
In 1854, when Peru officially ended slavery, the accord was made law in Huancayo. There is a statue in the Plaza Constitución commemorating this.
In 1969, two earthquakes
Earthquakes in Peru
Earthquakes in Peru are common occurrences as the country is located in a seismic zone. The interface between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates is located near the Peruvian coast. These plates are converging at a rate of per year...
struck Huancayo, destroying hundreds of homes, damaging in bridges, railways and killing 800-1,000 people. Landslides killed an additional 300 people in suburban districts and near the Huaytapallana mountains.
Today, in addition to its importance as a center of commerce, Huancayo is known for the crafts and the many festivals of the surrounding towns. Having rapidly expanded in recent decades, it has few remaining colonial buildings; the cityscape is dominated by modern constructions. The city is served by the Francisco Carle Airport located in Jauja
Jauja
Jauja is a city and capital of Jauja Province in Peru. It is situated in the fertile Mantaro Valley, to the northwest of Huancayo , at an altitude of . Its population according to the 2007 census was 16,424....
but travelers usually use the Limean Airport
Jorge Chávez International Airport
Jorge Chávez International Airport , known as Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez in Spanish, is Peru's main international and domestic airport. It is located in Callao, 11 kilometers from the Historic Centre of Lima and 17 km from Miraflores. Callao is the port city now fully...
.
Demographics
According to the national Census of 2007 , the metropolitan area of Huancayo has a total population of 336,293. Amerindian and Mestizos (Amerindian and SpanishSpanish Peruvian
A Spanish Peruvian is a Peruvian citizen of Spanish descent. Among European Peruvians, the Spanish are the largest group of immigrants to settle in the country.-History:...
ancestry) are the two largest ethnic groups in the city. Asian
Asian Peruvian
Asian Peruvians, primarily Chinese and Japanese, constitute some 3-5% of the total population, which in proportion to the overall population is one of the largest of any Latin American nation. Peru has the second largest population of Japanese people in Latin America after Brazil and the largest...
(mainly descendants of Japanese and Chinese immigrants) and European descendants are important minority groups.
Transport
Huancayo was a break-of-gaugeBreak-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
from gauge to gauge; for the 147 km extension to Huancavelica
Huancavelica
Huancavelica is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the Huancavelica region and has a population of approximately 40,000. Indigenous peoples represent a major percentage of the population. It has an approximate altitude of 3,600 meters; the climate is cold and dry between the months of February...
. In 2009, this line was being standardised.
Local universities
- Universidad Nacional del Centro del Peru (UNCP)
- Universidad Peruana Los Andes (UPLA)
- Universidad Continental de Ciencias e Ingenieria (UCCI)
- Universidad Franklin Roosevelt (UFR)
Branches of other Peruvian Universities
- Universidad Alas Peruanas (UAP)
- Universidad Los Angeles de Chimbote (ULADECH)
- Universidad Nacional Mayor de San MarcosNational University of San MarcosThe National University of San Marcos is the most important and respected higher-education institution in Peru. Its main campus, the University City, is located in Lima...
(UNMSM) - Universidad Nacional Daniel Alcides CarriónDaniel Alcides Carrión National UniversityThe Daniel Alcides Carrión National University , or UNDAC for short, is the public university of Cerro de Pasco, Peru. It was founded by decree law no. 15527 on April 12, 1965. The university runs establishments in Oxapampa, Yanahuanca, Paucartambo, Tarma and La Merced...
(UNDAC)
Language Institutes
- Instituto Cultural Peruano Británico (BRITANNIA)
- Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano - Región Centro (ICPNA)
- Alianza Francesa de HuancayoAlliance françaiseThe Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
(French Alliance, AF)
Notable people
- Víctor Alberto Gil MallmaPicaflor de los AndesVíctor Alberto Gil Mallma, better known as Picaflor de Los Andes was a Peruvian folk singer. In his childhood, he worked as a driver, painter, construction worker, and bricklayer...
(1930–1975), musician - Damaris Mallma PorrasDamaris (singer)Damaris Mallma Porras , is a Peruvian folk singer. She is a representative of contemporary Andean music, which consists of a mix of the traditional Indian language Quechua and modern pop music.- Biography :...
(1986 - ), Peruvian folk singer - Rodolfo Cerrón PalominoRodolfo Cerrón PalominoRodolfo Cerrón Palomino is a Peruvian linguist who has crucially contributed to the investigation and development of the Quechua language. He has also made outstanding contributions to the study of the Aymara, Mochica and Chipaya languages.- Biography :He pursued his first degree at the...
, linguist - Josué SánchezJosué SánchezJosué Sánchez Cerron is a Peruvian painter born in Huancayo, Peru in 1945.-Early life, education, and work as an artist:-Growing up in the Campo:...
(1945 - ), painter - Juan Parra del Riego, poet
- Brian Hoeg, artist
- Dr. Dennis L. Siluk, First Poet Laureate of Huancayo {Resolucion Nro. 168-2011-MPH/A{|date=June 2011}}