Pucará, Puno

Pucará, Puno (Aymara and Quechua: Pukara, which means fortress; Hispanicized spellings Pucará, Pucara, also Pukará) is a town in the Puno Region, Lampa Province, Pucará District, Peru. It is located to the north-west of Lake Titicaca. The ancient archaeological site of Pucará, dated as early as 1,800 BC, is located to the west of the town. The site is very large, spread in the area of approximately 4.2 km2. This was the first large urban center in the region. The site also gave its name to what some archaeologists refer to as a distinct Pukara culture. The site was declared a National Cultural Heritage (Patrimonio Cultural) of Peru by the National Institute of Culture.