Pikillaqta is located 32 km southeast of the city of Cusco, in the province of Quispicanchi, in the district of Lucre (and partially in Oropesa and Andahuaylillas). The name Pikillaqta in Quechua means “flea town”, piki = small, llaqta = town, place.
Its altitude ranges from 3,200 to 3,350 meters above sea level.
The site is part of a basin called Lucre, with landscapes that combine high terrain, plateaus, and proximity to the Huacarpay Lagoon (also called Huacarpay or Wakarpay), which adds ecological importance to the environment.
It has a large area: approximately 4,464.12 hectares declared an Archaeological Park, with a perimeter of 28,510 linear meters.
History, Chronology, and Cultural Function
Pikillaqta was built by the Wari culture (also called Huari), a civilization of the Middle Andean Horizon, approximately between the 6th and 11th-12th centuries AD.
It is considered one of the most important administrative, religious, and residential centers of the Wari in the Cusco region. It served as a territorial control center, with storage, distribution, worship, and housing functions.
Although it is commonly thought to have been abandoned around the beginning of the 12th century, there are indications that it was not completely forgotten, and certain remains show later adaptations or uses. However, evidence of significant Inca occupation at the site is limited or debated.
Wari Architecture and Urbanism
Pikillaqta displays a high degree of urban planning: straight streets, blocks (“kanchas”), plazas, storage areas (“colcas”), stairways, steps, canals, and water management structures.
Walking through Pikillaqta is like exploring a city designed with geometric precision.
The streets are long and parallel, intersecting at right angles and dividing the space into perfectly aligned blocks.
In total, more than 700 buildings, 200 enclosures or “kanchas,” and 500 food stores (colcas) have been identified.
The walls were built of stone and mud, some reaching up to 7 meters in height.
Fine Inca carving is not used, but the solidity and uniformity of the structures demonstrate surprising planning.
Everything seems designed to last and to function as a well-organized administrative complex.
The Wari also demonstrated great mastery of water: they built canals and reservoirs that allowed them to supply the city and maintain nearby crops.
Their hydraulic system is so well designed that some canals can still be seen in operation during the rainy season.
Life, Religion, and Symbolism
Pikillaqta was not only a political center; it also played a religious and ceremonial role.
The large plazas served as a venue for meetings, rituals, and celebrations.
In 2019, archaeologists discovered a sacred offering buried beneath one of these plazas: metal figurines in the shapes of animals, seashells brought from the coast, and carefully crafted silver sheets.
These findings reveal the Wari’s spirituality and connection with nature, as well as their extensive exchange system: objects from the jungle, the mountains, and the coast reveal a trade network that spanned much of ancient Peru.
Surprising discoveries
In January 2019, an important discovery was made in the Archaeological Park: a Wari ceremonial offering found in the southeast corner of the main plaza. It was a pit 70 cm in diameter and 2 meters deep, containing camelid remains, spondylus shells, silver plates, various metal idols (zoomorphic, warriors, pumas), anthropomorphic pieces, etc. It is thought to have been a ritual offering associated with the abandonment of the site.
In 2025, restoration work was carried out on Sector III, “Plaza Kancha,” with an investment of over 10 million soles. Seven kanchas were restored, each with 15 rooms (large and small), connected by streets and stairways. During this work, canals, stands, and other architectural components were revalued.
Ancient middens have also been discovered in several “kancha” sites, allowing for the study of food remains: local and foreign flora and fauna, providing clues about diet, product exchange, and cultural transportation.
Ceramics of diverse styles have been identified (Qotakalle, Viñaque, Cajamarca, Huamanga, Chaquipampa), demonstrating extensive cultural connections. Metallic objects and seashells also suggest long-distance exchange routes.
The Organization of an Ancient City
- Pikillaqta’s layout is divided into sectors with specific functions:
- Residential areas, where administrators and workers lived.
- Food depots, used to store corn, quinoa, and other agricultural products.
- Ceremonial spaces, where rituals and offerings were performed.
- Streets and passageways connected the entire complex, demonstrating a clear spatial hierarchy.
Every detail reflects a structured and methodical society.Even the doors, aligned one after the other on different levels, created a visual effect of depth that still impresses visitors.
A natural environment teeming with life
The landscape surrounding Pikillaqta complements its beauty. Nearby is the Huacarpay Lagoon, a protected wetland recognized as a Ramsar site for its biodiversity.
More than 70 species of birds live there, including ducks, herons, and Andean flamingos.
For many travelers, combining a hike through the ruins with a visit to the lagoon is a perfect experience: archaeology, nature, and Andean silence.
A legacy that inspired the Incas
Although the Wari disappeared centuries before the Inca’s rise, their influence lived on.
Many of their ideas, such as urban planning, food storage, and the use of roads, were inherited and perfected by the Incas.
For this reason, some archaeologists consider Pikillaqta to be the urban laboratory that anticipated Inca Cusco.
Visiting this site is to understand that the history of Peru did not begin with the Incas, but with earlier cultures that had already achieved impressive development.
Today, Pikillaqta is well preserved thanks to the restoration work carried out in recent years.
Walking among its silent walls produces a unique sensation: the wind blows through the empty streets and seems to carry echoes of a city that, although forgotten for centuries, never stopped telling its story.
This site not only offers a lesson in archaeology, but also a reflection on the passage of time, human organization, and the ability to build in harmony with nature.
Why is Pikillaqta worth visiting?
Because it’s not just a set of ruins. It’s a window into the past that shows how ancient Peruvians already mastered architecture, engineering, and urban planning centuries before the Inca’s rise.
Pikillaqta is one of those gems of Cusco that few visit, but that leaves you speechless when you walk through its quiet streets and gaze at the surrounding mountains.
A journey into the past,that lives on among the stones.
Leave A Reply