Arequipa & Colca Canyon

In 2003 Arequipa was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The city is the gateway to the Colca Canyon, perhaps the deepest in the world, where the Andean condor roams.

The river Chili flows through Arequipa and the volcano Misti watches over it. The city was founded in 1540 by the Spanish. Its historic centre retains its colonial atmosphere, with churches, town houses, monasteries and squares of great architectural value.

Weather

Arequipa's climate is offically dominated by two seasons: wet and dry. The wet season (January to March), however, does not bring torrential rain, and the dry season is completely puddle-free. Temperatures are conveniently consistent (and mild) throughout the year, with average highs of 20-21°C (68-70°F) during the day and average lows of 7-10°C (44-50°F) at night.

Pre 20th Century History

Evidence of pre-Inca settlement by indigenous peoples from the Lake Titicaca area has led some scholars to believe that the Aymara people first named the city - ari means 'peak' and quipa means 'lying behind' in Aymara; hence, Arequipa is 'the place lying behind the peak' of El Misti. However, another oft-heard legend says that the fourth Inca, Mayta Capac, was traveling through the valley and became enchanted by it. He ordered his retinue to stop, saying, 'Ari, quipay', which translates as 'Yes, stay'. The Spaniards refounded the city on August 15, 1540, and this date is celebrated with a week-long fair.

Unfortunately, Arequipa is built in an area highly prone to natural disasters; the city was totally destroyed by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in 1600, and has since been rocked by major earthquakes in 1687 and 1868 among others.

Modern History

During the 20th century, Arequipa was again struck by two major earthquakes, one in 1958 and another in 1960.

Monasterio Misterioso opened to the public in 1970, when the mayor of Arequipa forced the convent to modernize by opening its doors to tourism. This followed more than a century of the convent being shrouded in mystery. In 1871, Pope Pius IX sent Sister Josefa Cadena, a strict Dominican nun, to straighten out a convent of 'privileged' nuns who had servants and slaves, and often invited musicians to play at their parties. After the sister arrived, the majority of the nuns did not venture outside the convent's walls.

Since the 1950s, almost two dozen Incan sacrifices have been discovered atop various Andean mountains. The most famous was the 500-year-old body of a girl dubbed 'Juanita, the ice princess' - she was given her own museum in 1998.