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Puno Travel: Puno is a pretty tourist city on the
shores of Lake Titicaca on the Altiplano of Peru. The city's biggest
attraction is its proximity to Lake Titicaca.
Puno's importance to the vast Inca empire was reflected in a
legendary connection. Inca tradition has it that Manco Capac, the
first Inca, rose from the waters of Lake Titicaca, under the orders
of the Sun God, to found the Inca Empire, which would be centered in
the neighboring region and city of Cuzco.
This region of Peru is famous for its varied and colorful folk
traditions, as it has some of the most dazzling and richest folklore
ceremonies to be witnessed in this part of the continent.
PUNO
is a city in southeastern Peru,
located on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable
lake, at 3,860 m (12,421 ft) above sea level and the largest city of
the Puno Region and the Puno Province.
This City is
reflected by the importance on the connection with the Inca, in last
times says that Manco Capac, the first Inca, who rose from the
waters of Lake Titicaca, under the orders of the Sun God.
After the
Incas incorporated the region of Titikaka and the Kolla-culture
under Inca Mayta Capac to the empire of Tahuantinsuyo and became
part of the region of Kollasuyu. The importance of this Suyu into
the empire was especially the presence of gold and silver mines, the
breeding of alpacas and llamas for wool and meat and the culture of
altitude plants as potatoes, quinua, coffee and ,many more.
When the
Spaniards reached Cusco in the mid 16th century, they beard of the
great mining wealth of this region, especially for the existing gold
and silver. The bloody battles ensuing in the 17th century over the
possession of the Laikakota Mines (9km west from the City of Puno )
forced the Viceroy, Count of Lemos, to travel to the area and to
pacify it, resulting in the founding of the present City of Puno ,
capital of the department. Founded on November 4, 1668 , it was
named San carlos de Puno.
With the
passing of time, in their effort to evangelize the native people of
the peruvian altiplano, Spanish priests erected beautiful churches,
with artists from Puno implanting their original style.
But it is
not famous only for it's beautiful churches, is also for its varied
and colorful folk traditions, as it has some of the most dazzling
and richest folklore ceremonies around of the continent.
Now days,
the city of Puno has an important agricultural and livestock region;
particularly of South American camellias (Vicuñas, alpacas and
llamas) which graze on its immense plateaus and plains.
Economy:
Much of the city economy relies on the
black market, fueled by cheap goods smuggled in from Bolivia
Puno has
been designated to become a Special Economic Zone or "Zona Ecomomica"
by Peru's president, Alan Garcia.
Location:
South Andean zone, plateau, 12,555
feet (3,827 m) above sea level.
Distances:
241.7 miles (389 km) from Cuzco
201.9 miles (325 km) from Arequipa
817 miles (1315 km) from Lima
91,9 miles (148 km) from Desagüadero (frontier with Bolivia), and
69.6 miles (112 km) from Desagüadero to La Paz (Bolivia).
POPULATION: Departmental Population: 1057.606.
CLIMATE: there are two stations of the year: rainy (the
December. April) and the semi drought (May. December) the days are
with regular weather and its nights cold reach 8°C.
CAPITAL: Puno to 3827m.s.n.m is located in the great plateau
of the Collao is the greater producer of quinua. Agriculturist and
cattle dealer (bovine, ovine, alpacas, flames).
ACCESS
OVERLAND From Lima via Arequipa (1,303km)
From Arequipa (294km)
Cusco (394km)
Tacna (376km)
AERIAL:
The airport of Julica this to 40 minutes of Puno.
RAIL WAY
: From Cusco 381km. And From Arequipa 350km.
TOWARDS
BOLIVIA: The border steps are:
TERRESTRIAL: By highway via Drainage (border with Bolivia) to
150km of Puno, and Drainage to the Seat to 102km, happening through
the ruins of the Tiahuanaco they are approximately 10 hours of trip.
By highway
via yunguyo to 135km of puno, until Copacabana (Bolivia) where
crosses the lake by the Straits of Tiquina towards the Bolivian
side, continuing the route by an excellent highway until La Paz They
are 12 hours of trip approximately.
LACUSTRINE: The lacustre port of Juli they leave the hydrofoil
until the Bolivian cities Copacabana and Huajata. And the Catamaran
of the port of Copacabana towards Juli.
PRINCIPAL
ATRACTIONS
In the city
The Cathedral of Puno: Located in
front of the Main Square, finished in 1756. Is a temple of a single
nave with the shape of a Latin cross. Its main facade is carved in
granite with rich ornamentation, with great influence of indigenous
builders, outstanding San Marcos's and San Mateo sculptures.
El Mirador del cerro
Huajsapata:
Located in the west area of the city on a
high hill giving a panoramic view of the city of Puno and Lake
Titicaca. On the summit is found the statue of the First Inca Manco
Cápac.
Museo de Arte Popular de
Puno:
Exhibition of several popular art pieces of
the region. Located at Deza Street No. 257.
El Balcón
del Conde de Lemos: Located at the
corners of the streets Count of Lemos and Deustua, it is a beautiful
Colonial balcony located on the house of the Count of Lemos.
Museo
Municipal Dreyer:
Exhibition of a collection of pre-Inca
pieces. It is located at Conde de Lemos Street No. 289.
Lake
Titicaca:
This beautiful water mirror is between the territories of Peru and
Bolivia, to a 3821 altitude of m.s.n.m., reason why the lake
navigable upper of the world is considered.
Uros:
The city of Puno is surrounded by 41 floating islands, The Uros is
the name of a group of pre-Incan people who live on 42
self-fashioned floating man-made islets located in Lake Titicaca off
Puno, Peru. They use the totora plant to make boats (balsas mats) of
bundled dried reeds as well as to make the islands themselves.[1]
Around 3,000 descendants of the Uros are alive today, although only
a few hundred still live on and maintain the islands; most have
moved to the mainland. The Uros also bury their dead on the mainland
in special cemeteries.
The purpose
of the island settlements was originally defensive, and if a threat
arose they could with difficulty be moved. The largest island
retains a watchtower almost entirely constructed of reeds.
They still
depend on the lake for their survival. The area surrounding the city
was where the Aymara civilization started.
Taquile:
Located to 30 km of the city of Puno.
Is an island which sits on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca 45 km
offshore from the city of Puno. About 1,700 people live on the
island, which is 5.5 by 1.6 km in size (maximum measurements), with
an area of 5.72 km². The highest point of the island is 4050 m and
the main village is at 3950 m. The inhabitants, known as Taquileños,
are southern Quechua speakers, this inhabitants are famous by their
hospitality, its vests, shirts and other weaves by hand that can be
acquired in their stores of crafts even conserve their cultural
patterns in their clothes and typical dances.
Amantaní:
Located 37 km from the port of the
city Puno and about 4 hours 30 minutes motorboat ride, this island
is also important for its ethnic and cultural value and are also
known for their textiles, as well as their ceramics. Most of the
inhabitants live in houses of adobe.[ is a natural building material
mixed from sand, clay, and straw, dung or other fibrous materials,
which is shaped into bricks using frames and dried in the sun. It is
similar to cob and mud brick. Adobe structures are extremely durable
and account for the oldest extant buildings on the planet. Adobe
buildings also offer significant advantages in hot, dry climates;
they remain cooler as adobe stores and releases heat very slowly.]
There is a small health clinic and school on Amantaní, and, there
are no hotels, but some families offer meals and overnight lodging
to tourists with basic accommodations . In return, guests are
expected to bring food (such as rice or sugar) as a gift or in other
cases will cost extra (from 7US$ to 10US$ per person per night that
you have to pay directly to them). The island has no cars and is
powered for only a few hours a day by a generator.
Pucara:
To 101 km to the north of the city Puno and to 1,45 hours approx in
car. Its pottery has reached great reputation specially by its
“Toritos de Pucará”.
Sillustani Burial Towers
Hundreds of years ago, the ancient people from the Altiplano, that
lived at the shore of the mystical Lake Titicaca, built a series of
funeral towers to bury their kings and other important people of
their regions.
The
architecture of the site is often considered more complex than
typical Incan architecture. In contrast with the Inca, who used
stones of varying shapes, the Colla used even rectangular edges.
The chullpas
are not unique to Sillustani and are found across the Altiplano, the
site is considered the best and most preserved example of them, are
perhaps the finest and the most perfect cylindrical constructions of
ancient Peru, as such perfection can be found no where else in South
America.
FOLKLORE
Puno is the Capital of the Folklore
because it variety of typical dances best admires on the Candelaria
Virgin celebration in February.
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