Frequently Asked Questions Waqrapucara Trek 1 Day Tour

What is Waqrapukara?

It is a fortress of pre-Inca and Inca construction. In pre-Inca times it was a small citadel, hence the name «Llaqta Pukara», where the chief Qanchi and his family lived. It also served as an astronomical observatory and had a sanctuary dedicated to the god Teqci Pachakamaq Wiraqocha.

Who built Waqrapukara?

First, it was built by the Qanchi ethnic group during the Auqaruna period, between 1500 and 1000 BC. The current construction is from the Inca period, it was built during the time of the Inca Wayna Qhapaq, with the intervention of the architects of this government, also intervened Qanchimachu and Ttito Q’osñipa.

Why did they turn it into a fortress?

Because already in the time of the Auqaruna, it was necessary to form men and warrior places to defend the conquered territory of the ethnic group and tribe. Not only to defend their territory and their chief. In pre-Inca and Inca times, these chiefs were called curacas, and in colonial times they were called caciques. In Purunruna’s time, there was no need for pucaras, since they lived wherever they wanted.

What was the god of the Q’anchis in the pre-Inca period?

The Q’anchis believed that there was a Creator of all created things, whom they called Teqci Wiraqocha. «Worshipping the sun, they must have taken them from the Incas». (Pedro Cieza, Chronicles of Peru) One day a tall man named Conti Wiraqocha Pachayachacheq came to San Pedro de Cacha and taught them about the Creator God; the men of Canas, who occupied Cacha, wanted to kill him, but fire came down from heaven and they were afraid and fled from the place. In memory of this fact, they built a temple in Raqchi (Juan de Betanzos, Narración de los Incas, 1551).

What are the characteristics of the sanctuary or Waca of Waqrapukara?

It has a triple jamb door, which means that it is very sacred. On the other hand, the deities created by man, such as the god of the sun, the moon, the stars and others, have their sanctuaries with double jamb covers. The chronicler Santa Cruz calls the Tecsi Pachakamaq Wiraqocha, the invisible god. This deity was accepted by the Incas, so they also built a temple or shrine in the city of Cusco, in the place of the cathedral (Chronicler Juan Santa Cruz Pachacuti).

What are the reasons why the Q’anchis did not want to obey the Inca Wayna Qhapaq?
Because of the enmity that they maintained after the battle in the pampas of Cangallo (Checacupe) and Combapata. In this battle the Q’anchis lost to the Inka army commanded by the Inca Wiraqocha. The other reason was the collection of tribute in products, silver objects and military mita that they had to pay to the Inca government. During the Wayna Qhapaq period, the curaca Ttito Q’osñipa was present in the Pomacanchi area (Fredy Caballero).

What measures did the Inka Wayna Qhapaq take before the rebellion of the Ttito Q’osñipa?

Wayna Qhapaq sends an army to repress the Qanchi army led by the Ttito Q’osñipa curaca. The Qanchi chief moved towards the city of Cusco, to add more soldiers and to extend his territory towards the territory dominated by the Incas. The encounter took place in the pampas of Phiñaypampa, near Corma; in this battle, the army of Ttito Q’osñipa lost, taking prisoner a group of Q’anchi soldiers…. (Dr. Vargas)

What happened to Ttito Q’osñipa after the battle of Phiñaypampa?

Ttito Q’osñipa returned to the Waqrapukara fortress and resisted the Inca army for about a month. When deprived of water, the Q’anchis surrendered and were taken prisoners to Cusco, more than one hundred Q’anchis with the curaca Qanchi. In Cusco, the sentence would have been death for the rebels; but Wayna Qhapaq, pardoning them, simply had the Q’anchis’ ears cut off as a sign of rebellion. He advised them to change their behavior. Before the cutting, he made them dance the tusuy of the Qanchi….. (Dr. Vargas).

What was the result of the conquest of the north of the empire with Ttito Q’osñipa?

Wayna Qhapaq, with his thousands of soldiers, went to the Ecuadorian territory, was defeated and conquered many ethnic groups in the north, the most important of which was the Cañari ethnic group. They returned with endowments of war and Cañari prisoners, some of whom were in the site of Picchu in the city of Cusco and others were taken to the territory of the Qanchi curaca, where there was already an Inca general, to whom the Inca gave him a woman similar to an ajlle.

It is a fortress of pre-Inca and Inca construction. In pre-Inca times it was a small citadel, hence the name «Llaqta Pukara», where the chief Qanchi and his family lived. It also served as an astronomical observatory and had a sanctuary dedicated to the god Teqci Pachakamaq Wiraqocha.

First, it was built by the Qanchi ethnic group during the Auqaruna period, between 1500 and 1000 BC. The current construction is from the Inca period, it was built during the time of the Inca Wayna Qhapaq, with the intervention of the architects of this government, also intervened Qanchimachu and Ttito Q’osñipa.

Because already in the time of the Auqaruna, it was necessary to form men and warrior places to defend the conquered territory of the ethnic group and tribe. Not only to defend their territory and their chief. In pre-Inca and Inca times, these chiefs were called curacas, and in colonial times they were called caciques. In Purunruna’s time, there was no need for pucaras, since they lived wherever they wanted.

The Q’anchis believed that there was a Creator of all created things, whom they called Teqci Wiraqocha. «Worshipping the sun, they must have taken them from the Incas». (Pedro Cieza, Chronicles of Peru) One day a tall man named Conti Wiraqocha Pachayachacheq came to San Pedro de Cacha and taught them about the Creator God; the men of Canas, who occupied Cacha, wanted to kill him, but fire came down from heaven and they were afraid and fled from the place. In memory of this fact, they built a temple in Raqchi (Juan de Betanzos, Narración de los Incas, 1551).

It has a triple jamb door, which means that it is very sacred. On the other hand, the deities created by man, such as the god of the sun, the moon, the stars and others, have their sanctuaries with double jamb covers. The chronicler Santa Cruz calls the Tecsi Pachakamaq Wiraqocha, the invisible god. This deity was accepted by the Incas, so they also built a temple or shrine in the city of Cusco, in the place of the cathedral (Chronicler Juan Santa Cruz Pachacuti).

What are the reasons why the Q’anchis did not want to obey the Inca Wayna Qhapaq?
Because of the enmity that they maintained after the battle in the pampas of Cangallo (Checacupe) and Combapata. In this battle the Q’anchis lost to the Inka army commanded by the Inca Wiraqocha. The other reason was the collection of tribute in products, silver objects and military mita that they had to pay to the Inca government. During the Wayna Qhapaq period, the curaca Ttito Q’osñipa was present in the Pomacanchi area (Fredy Caballero).

Wayna Qhapaq sends an army to repress the Qanchi army led by the Ttito Q’osñipa curaca. The Qanchi chief moved towards the city of Cusco, to add more soldiers and to extend his territory towards the territory dominated by the Incas. The encounter took place in the pampas of Phiñaypampa, near Corma; in this battle, the army of Ttito Q’osñipa lost, taking prisoner a group of Q’anchi soldiers…. (Dr. Vargas)

Ttito Q’osñipa returned to the Waqrapukara fortress and resisted the Inca army for about a month. When deprived of water, the Q’anchis surrendered and were taken prisoners to Cusco, more than one hundred Q’anchis with the curaca Qanchi. In Cusco, the sentence would have been death for the rebels; but Wayna Qhapaq, pardoning them, simply had the Q’anchis’ ears cut off as a sign of rebellion. He advised them to change their behavior. Before the cutting, he made them dance the tusuy of the Qanchi….. (Dr. Vargas).

Wayna Qhapaq, with his thousands of soldiers, went to the Ecuadorian territory, was defeated and conquered many ethnic groups in the north, the most important of which was the Cañari ethnic group. They returned with endowments of war and Cañari prisoners, some of whom were in the site of Picchu in the city of Cusco and others were taken to the territory of the Qanchi curaca, where there was already an Inca general, to whom the Inca gave him a woman similar to an ajlle.