Huaraz

: "For the Province of the Ancash Region in Peru, see Huaraz Province"Infobox City
official_name = Huaraz
other_name = Waras
native_name =
nickname =
motto = La muy noble y generosa ciudad

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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Central plaza

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flag_size = 80px
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image_shield = sin escudo.svg
shield_size = 80px
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map_caption = Location in Peru
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = PER
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_name1 = Ancash
subdivision_type2 = Province
subdivision_name2 = Huaraz
subdivision_type3 =
subdivision_name3 =
subdivision_type4 =
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government_type = Democracy
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Lombardo Mautino Angeles
established_title = Founded
established_date = 20 january 1574
established_title2 =
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area_magnitude =
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area_total_km2 = 370.03
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population_total = 89891 (2007 calculation)
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timezone = PET
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = PET
utc_offset_DST = -5
latd = 9
latm = 32
lats =
latNS = S
longd = 77
longm = 32
longs =
longEW = W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 3052
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code = 43
website = [http://www.munihuaraz.gob.pe www.munihuaraz.gob.pe]
footnotes =

Huaraz is a city in Peru. It has a population of approximately 100,000 and is the capital of the Huaraz Province and of the Ancash Region. As such it is the seat of the regional government of Ancash.

Location

Huaraz is located in the central-northern part of the country at an altitude of 3052 m (10,013 feet), some 420 km north of Lima. Huaraz sits in the agriculturally important Callejón de Huaylas valley, at the foot of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range, which includes Huascarán, the highest mountain in Peru at 6768 m (22,204 feet).

History

In 1538, Francisco Pizarro granted the right to collect taxes in Huaraz to the conquistador Sebastián de Torres. In 1574 Alonso de Santoyo founded the village.

On May 31, 1970 the Ancash earthquake destroyed much of Huaraz, killing 10,000 people. Almost nothing was left of the old city with its narrow streets and big adobe "casonas" roofed with tiles. The main square was the only major structure that survived the earthquake so the city was rebuilt around it. The old and big "casonas" were replaced with smaller houses while the old narrow streets were widened as they had proved to be deathtraps during the earthquake.

Communications

Huaraz is connected to the rest of the country through the Panamerican Highway (187km north of Lima) and can be reached from Lima Casma or Chimbote in seven hours. A few kilometers to the north of Huaraz lies the small Anta airport which serves small planes from the two largest mining companies in the region as well as the regional airline LC Busre.

Tourism

Huascarán National Park is a popular destination for tourism and trekking. Huaraz is a frequent base for expeditions to the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash.

In the streets surrounding the farmers' market, the "paraditas" (street markets) of local sellers offer craft products such as alpaca textiles (carpets, sweaters, etc.), "cuarteados" (a typical dessert from Caraz made by mixing manjarblanco and fruit cake), boxes of manjarblanco, butter, cheese, honey, smoked and salty hams, etc.

External links

* http://www.munihuaraz.gob.pe/ Official website