{"id":3522,"date":"2026-01-16T02:26:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T02:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/?p=3522"},"modified":"2026-02-23T01:44:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T01:44:21","slug":"from-lima-to-jauja-the-first-capital-of-peru","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/en\/from-lima-to-jauja-the-first-capital-of-peru\/","title":{"rendered":"From Lima to Jauja, the first capital of Peru"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC8987.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3327\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC8987.webp 864w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC8987-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC8987-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In medieval Europe, people spoke of a marvellous land where <strong>you didn\u2019t need to work to live comfortably and happily<\/strong>. In those days, rumours spread of a fabulous country \u2014 no one quite knew where it was, though many insisted it had to be somewhere around Portugal or Spain \u2014 <strong>where rivers of wine and milk flowed freely<\/strong>, mountains were made of cheese, and <strong>the trees bore the most exquisite roast suckling pigs<\/strong> as their fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The wonders of that paradise knew no bounds. <strong>Everything there was peace, abundance, pleasure and pure relaxation<\/strong>. So much so that, according to the most enthusiastic tales, <strong>roasted geese would fly straight into diners\u2019 mouths<\/strong>, houses were built of cakes and pastries, <strong>the streets were carpeted with sweet temptations<\/strong>, and dogs were tied up not with rope, but with delicious strings of sausages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sadly, the exact location of this dreamlike place \u2014 where everyone, or almost everyone, longed to live (for there are always exceptions to prove the rule) \u2014 was completely unknown. Even so, simply mentioning the <a href=\"https:\/\/ikusmira.org\/p\/jauja-y-el-pais-de-cucana\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Land of Cuca\u00f1a<\/a> \u2014 as this almost-<strong>paradise was known at the time<\/strong> \u2014 was enough to spark hope in a<strong> historical period marked by hardship and austerity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9469.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9469.webp 864w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9469-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9469-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1534, when F<strong>rancisco Pizarro and his men were making their way towards Cusco<\/strong>, they stopped in a broad and <strong>welcoming Andean valley<\/strong> that the \u201cChildren of the Sun\u201d called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gob.pe\/institucion\/cultura\/noticias\/46854-ministerio-de-cultura-descubre-vestigios-arqueologicos-en-el-sitio-inca-de-hatun-xauxa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Jatunsausa or Hatun Xauxa<\/a>. The conquistadors \u2014 or invaders \u2014 <strong>were utterly enchanted by the place<\/strong>, so much so that they were quick to associate it with the mythical, <strong>legendary and perhaps even non-existent Land of Cuca\u00f1a<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reasons behind that reaction are explained by Carlos Hurtado Ames, a historian from the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo. Speaking to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/mundo\/noticias-america-latina-46052264\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">BBC for an article<\/a>, he noted that \u201c<em>Jatunsausa<\/em> was an Inca city that, according to the chroniclers, had <strong>a replica of the <\/strong><em><strong>Qoricancha<\/strong> <\/em>(which in Quechua means \u2018golden temple\u2019), as well as a garden made of gold, with plants, animals, shepherds and more. <strong>It was dazzling<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The valley turned capital<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9182.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3341\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9182.webp 864w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9182-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9182-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tales and descriptions of this <strong>paradise in Peru\u2019s central highlands<\/strong> quickly crossed the ocean. Once in Europe, the word jauja (derived from xauxa or sausa) began to be <strong>used as a byword for prosperity and abundance<\/strong>. Its impact was so great that in the 16th century expressions such as \u201cYou\u2019d think you were in Jauja\u201d, \u201c<strong>The Land of Jauja<\/strong>\u201d or \u201cOff you go to Jauja\u201d were coined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The years \u2014 and centuries \u2014 passed, yet <strong>the positive meaning of the word jauja has endured to this day<\/strong>. If you look it up in the <em><a href=\"https:\/\/dle.rae.es\/jauja\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Diccionario de la Lengua Espa\u00f1ola<\/a><\/em>, you will find the following definition: \u201cUsed to denote anything presented as a model of prosperity and abundance.\u201d It also specifies that the term refers \u201cto Jauja, <strong>a valley in Peru famous for the richness of its land<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A paradise, an Eden and a Cockaigne (these are the other meanings listed in the dictionary) that would go on to captivate the Iberian conquerors. So much so that they settled there for several months, peacefully and comfortably enjoying the plentiful food and favourable conditions of the valley where Francisco Pizarro founded the city of Santa Fe de Hatun Xauxa on 25 April 1534.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9386.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9386.webp 864w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9386-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9386-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not only that. <strong>The newly founded city would go on to become the capital of the Governorship of New Castile<\/strong> \u2014 in simpler terms, the first capital of Peru. Although that status changed on 18 January 1535, with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acami.es\/efemerides\/18-de-enero-de-1535pizarro-funda-lima\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">foundation of the \u201cCity of the Kings\u201d<\/a> (the original name of Lima),<strong> the memory endures and remains a source of pride<\/strong> for those born in the Land of Jauja.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A \u201ccountry\u201d with history, tradition and culture, today it forms one of the provinces of the Jun\u00edn region.<strong> A \u201ccountry\u201d located at 3,392 metres above sea level and just 265 kilometres east of Lima<\/strong>. A \u201ccountry\u201d <strong>you can reach by road (around six hours) or by air (just 50 minutes)<\/strong>. A \u201ccountry\u201d without rivers of milk or wine, and without houses made of cakes \u2014 but with<strong> shimmering lagoons that shelter a rich variety of birdlife<\/strong> and archaeological sites built from stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Capital delights<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC3678.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC3678.webp 864w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC3678-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC3678-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From bustling Lima \u2014 the colonial and republican capital \u2014 to peaceful Jauja, the brief, early capital where <a href=\"https:\/\/cultura.cervantes.es\/espanya\/es\/el-universo-de-francisca-pizarro-yupanqui\/171366\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Francisca<\/a><strong>, the mestiza daughter of Francisco Pizarro, was born<\/strong>, and to the fertile valley that became synonymous with abundance. That is the journey, the route,<strong> the getaway I\u2019m inviting you to experience<\/strong> \u2014 so that when you return home, you can tell your family and friends that <strong>you\u2019ve been to the mythical Land of Cuca\u00f1a.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, I should warn you: <strong>you won\u2019t find roast pigs hanging from the trees<\/strong>. What you will find are great pans where pork is fried until perfectly crisp, turning into irresistible <a href=\"https:\/\/www.infobae.com\/america\/peru\/2022\/01\/22\/como-preparar-chicharron-de-chancho-para-chuparse-los-dedos-receta-peruana\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">chicharrones<\/a>. You\u2019ll also discover a wonderful variety of meats and tubers prepared using the ancestral cooking technique known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.codespa.org\/blog\/2015\/03\/04\/la-pachamanca-un-plato-tipico-de-los-andes-peruanos-como-se-prepara\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">pachamanca<\/a> \u2014 a word that in Quechua means \u201c<strong>earth pot<\/strong>\u201d and in Aymara, \u201c<strong>food from the earth<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In rural areas, <strong>the pachamanca is something of a culinary ritual<\/strong>. It begins with a hole being dug into the ground. Inside<strong>, carefully selected river stones are placed and heated beforehand<\/strong>. Their retained heat slowly cooks the meats \u2014 beef, lamb, pork and more \u2014 seasoned with aromatic herbs, along with potatoes, sweet potatoes, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peruecologico.com.pe\/tub_oca.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">ocas<\/a><\/em> and broad beans that complete this hearty and deeply traditional dish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9416.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9416.webp 864w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9416-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9416-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once the ingredients have been carefully arranged, <strong>the pit is covered with leaves and earth and left to cook for two or three hours<\/strong>. The result is unforgettable \u2014 a true treat for your taste buds. <strong>You\u2019ll feel the same delight when you try the trout<\/strong> prepared in a variety of ways and served by the shores of <a href=\"https:\/\/consultasenlinea.mincetur.gob.pe\/fichaInventario\/index.aspx?cod_Ficha=827\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Laguna de Paca<\/a> (3,362 m above sea level), a splendid mirror-like lake waiting for you just six kilometres from <strong>Jauja\u2019s Plaza de Armas, declared a National Historic Monument<\/strong> in 1989.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other Jauja specialities include cuy colorado (spiced guinea pig) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ytuqueplanes.com\/blog-viajero\/ancash\/a-calentar-el-cuerpo-con-una-patasca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">patasca<\/a> \u2014 a hearty soup made with hominy maize, cow\u2019s trotters and tripe. If you fancy something sweet, <strong>try the <em>mazamorras<\/em> made from pumpkin<\/strong>, <em>chu\u00f1o<\/em> and<em> pata <\/em>\u2014 yes, <strong>beef trotters once again, but this time transformed into a thick jelly-like pudding<\/strong>. Beyond its sweetness (it\u2019s flavoured with panela, cinnamon and cloves), <strong>its high collagen content is said to be wonderfully nourishing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tunantada: a dance from Jauja<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9296.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9296.webp 864w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9296-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9296-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>It\u2019s not all about good food in Peru\u2019s first capital<\/strong>. If you\u2019d like to experience a vibrant traditional celebration, plan your visit to Jauja between 20 and 25 January. Each year, those days are filled with music and <strong>dancing in honour of Saints Sebastian and Fabian<\/strong>. During the festivities, the district of <strong>Yauyos is quite literally \u201ctaken over\u201d by troupes of masked dancers who satirically portray<\/strong> a range of characters from Andean and mestizo Peru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.continental.edu.pe\/centro-cultural\/la-tunantada-aportes-desde-su-historia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">The tunantada<\/a> \u2014 that\u2019s the name of the dance \u2014 \u201c<strong>was born in Huaripampa<\/strong> (one of the districts in the province of Jauja), where <strong>locals saw Viceroy Toledo arrive with his entourage<\/strong>, accompanied by an Argentine muleteer merchant, to the sound of guitars. It was that moment which the people of Huaripampa sought to recreate as a mockery and satire,\u201d explains the website <a href=\"https:\/\/tunantada.pe\/2021\/10\/18\/que-es-la-tunantada\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Tunantadas de Amor<\/a>, drawing on oral tradition. The viceroy in question was Francisco de Toledo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few years ago, I attended the festival myself. I saw the huatrilas (Indigenous figures), the chutos (Creole characters) and the pr\u00edncipes or tunantes (Spaniards), among many <a href=\"https:\/\/bicentenario.gob.pe\/tunantada-cultura-jaujina-esta-fiesta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">others<\/a> who, through their elaborate costumes, expressive masks and measured, dignified steps, <strong>keep this artistic tradition alive \u2014 recognised as National Cultural Heritage<\/strong> since 2011. On that trip, I also made the most of my mornings to <strong>explore other attractions around Jauja.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9162.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9162.webp 864w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9162-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC9162-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>I explored Paca<\/strong>, where I spotted parihuanas (Andean flamingos) and <strong>blooming potato fields<\/strong> stretching across the countryside. I also ventured, for the very first time, along sections of the Inca road that once led to Cusco and up to <a href=\"https:\/\/consultasenlinea.mincetur.gob.pe\/fichaInventario\/index.aspx?cod_Ficha=828\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">the archaeological site of Tunanmarca<\/a> (3,899 m above sea level). Its name translates as \u201c<strong>the village on the hilltop<\/strong>\u201d \u2014 and quite fittingly so. It was built and inhabited by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldhistory.org\/trans\/es\/1-12791\/la-civilizacion-huanca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Huanca peopl<\/a>e until<strong> the arrival of the Incas, around 1460<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Defensive walls, courtyards and a main square<\/strong>. Storehouses, circular and rectangular dwellings, and an efficient hydraulic system \u2014 all form part of this remarkable archaeological legacy. From here, you\u2019re rewarded with sweeping <strong>panoramic views over the province of Jauja<\/strong>, the land of the <a href=\"https:\/\/es.scribd.com\/document\/451955088\/Quienes-eran-los-Xauxas-Jauja-Primera-Capital-del-Peru\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Xauxas<\/a>, the original people who once inhabited the marvellous valley where the Spaniards founded Peru\u2019s first capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC8993.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC8993.webp 864w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC8993-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/freewalkingtourslima.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DSC8993-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In medieval Europe, people spoke of a marvellous land where you didn\u2019t need to work to live comfortably and happily. In those days, rumours spread of a fabulous country \u2014 no one quite knew where it was, though many insisted it had to be somewhere around Portugal or Spain \u2014 where rivers of wine and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3328,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tourism"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>From Lima to Jauja, the first capital of Peru<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A journey to Peru&#039;s first capital, a valley that dazzled the Spanish conquistadors with its beauty and abundance. 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