Peru to develop Lima’s unsung archaeological ruins for tourism

Peru to develop Lima’s unsung archaeological ruins for tourism

Plans are afoot to illuminate nine of Lima’s under-appreciated pre-Inca archaeological sites for tourists by the end of 2010, Peru’s minister of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (Mincetur) announced Wednesday.

Huaca San Borja

“The aim is to give value to a series of assets that the city of Lima owns, among them the temples, which are archaeological and have a very important potential for tourism,” Martín Pérez told state news agency Andina.

He said that Mincetur will work in conjunction with the National Institute of Culture (INC) to create public areas for nighttime events at the Huaca Huallamarca in San Isidro, Mateo Salado in Pueblo Libre, Armatambo in Chorrillos, and the ruins of San Borja, Santa Cruz, San Marcos and Huantille in Magdalena, as well as the Huaca La Luz in San Miguel and La Merced in Surquillo.

“The work will consist of putting in illumination at these archaeological center, as well as be able to hold light and audio displays, until a reasonable hour of course so ensure that the local neighbors are not disturbed,” Pérez said.

“These temples will end up being landmarks of the capital, as the Huaca Pucllana is currently.”

For the last decade, Lima’s district of Miraflores has leased space to the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant, one of city’s finest gourmet

Romantic evening at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant for a magical dinner at the foot of the ruins.

Huaca Pucllana

eateries, where patrons dine just meters from the magnificently lit adobe pyramid built by the Lima culture (200-700 AD). A portion of the restaurant’s profits are allocated to restoration and ongoing scientific research at the site.

It’s an economic model that Pérez said the government would like to extend to the other pre-Columbian ruins that dot the city.

“We have also spoken to the chief of the INC, Cecilia Bákula, to study the possibility of generating certain additional activities, like restaurants,” he said.

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Authored by: Rick Vecchio

Rick Vecchio, Fertur’s director of development and marketing, was educated at the New School for Social Research and Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. He worked for Pacifica Radio WBAI and as a daily reporter for newspapers in New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. Then in 1996, he decided it was time to realize a life-long dream of traveling to Peru. He never went back. While serving as Peru country manager for the South American Explorers from 1997-1999, he fell in love with Fertur's founder, Siduith Ferrer, and they married. Over the next six years, he worked as a correspondent for The Associated Press. Meanwhile, Siduith built the business, which he joined in January 2007. Now he designs custom educational and adventure tour packages for corporate and institutional clients, oversees Fertur’s Internet platform and occasionally leads special trips, always with an eye open for a good story to write about.

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