Attractions of Puno

The Cathedral

This is a baroque style church built of stone in the 18yh century by Peruvian architect Simon de Asto. His name is engraved at the entrance, qhere one can also appreciate carvings of mermaids playing a small Andean guitar called the charango. Once inside, there are gold leaf altars and paintings of the School of Cusco .

San Juan Bautista Chruch

This church dates back to the 18 th century. Its is the sanctuary of the Virgin of the Candlemas, the very much veneered patron of Puno. Her sweet image appears on the main altar; and t the rear, one can enjoy her more then one hundred elaborate robes and cloaks. February 2 of each year is the main day of the festivities celebrated in her honor.

The Carlos Dreyer Municipal Museum

Exhibits include pre-Hispanic and Colonial art works, including ceramics and silverworks, knits, tone sculptures, as well as gold, silver and copper works.

The Typical Dress Museum

Organized and run by the Deparment’s Folklore Federation, it houses samples of artisan knits and a collection of the innumerable typical dresses of the region, many of which are beautifully embroidered with ribbons and stones of different colors.

Yavari floating - museum

This museum has been set up in an old ship built in england in 1862, from where it was sent to arica by sea, to then taken by train to tacna . Once in this city, it was disassembled and its parts were carried on mule back to lake titicaca. The museum show permanent exhibits referring to the lake fleet used worldwide.

Huajsapata park

This is another point from where one can watch the city. It is situated on huajsapata hill, three blocks away from the main square . It is this park which highets point features a monument erected in th honor of the first inca, manco capac.

Deustua arch

This is a monument made of carved stone, built in 1847 by the people of puno, to commemorate the casualties of the battles of junin and ayacucho. On one side of the arch there is the watch spot of deustua, one of two points from where the city can be easily watchad.

Home of viceroy the count of lemos

This is the mansion where viceroy count of lemos stayed in 1668 during his visit to puno to quiet down the people and found the city. It has a very interesting colonial style balcony.

Attractions surrounding areas

Lake titicaca

The highest navigable lake in the world, it is situated east of puno, at 3,810 m.a.s.l. Its is 194 km long at its longest section and 65 km wide, on average. It is the habitat of birds, such as the parihuanas (phoenicopterus chilensis); of fish, like the carachi (of the orestias spp species), suche (trichomycterus punctulatus or trichomycterus rivulatus) trout and peruvian silverside; and of totora (cattail or reed) a water weed which can be as high 3 m. Tall.

Totora is used by the uros as material in the construction of houses and rafts, and as baby food - the lower portion of the stem is called ch’ullu - as it is a very good source of iodine. It must be montioned that a section of the lake (36,108 ha) was declared the titicaca national reserve in ocober 1978, in order to preserve its natural species and its scenic beauty. From the lake port of the city of puno , there are excursion trips to the islands of the uros, taquile and amantani.

The islands of the uros

The uros are a people who live on approximately 40 floating islands, made mainly of totora (cattail or reed). These islands occupy a large part of the titicaca national reserve, from the bay of puno to the peninsula of capachica . The uros group themselves under the highest moral and religious authority: the grandfather. They mainly live off hunting and fishing, but they are also known for their high skills knit totora, which they use in making their rafts and their houses, as well as handicrafts.

Sillustani

In the archaeological site of sillustani, 34 km (approximately 30 min) north of the city of puno , on the shore of beautiful umayo lake , one runs into enigmatic chullpas, which were built by the collas, some of which are more then 12 m. High. Used to bury the most important personalities of this nation, the chullpas known as lagarto and intiwatana are most prominent.

Pucara

This is a town located 107 km (1 hr and 45 min, approximately) northeast of puno and 62 km northwest of juliaca, home to the famous toritos de pucara (little bulls from pucara) traditional little sculpture clay works native of the nearby community of santiago de pupuja (15 km) which reason to be is related to the magical and religious spirit of the farmars. Two blocks away from the town’s main square there is a museum exhibiting granite steles and monoliths of various sizes. Five hundred meters from the square is the archaeological site of pucara, belonging to the pucara culture, consisting of a set of six small pyramids built on stepped platforms which were used in ceremonies.

Amantani

This in another of the lake titicaca islands, situated som 40 km (4 hr. And 30 min) northeast of puno and about 30 min north of the island of taquile , by lake. There are interesting archaeological sites here, such as the cove at the chatajon cemetery , and cereminial sities, like pasallasca oc’co, where the mama qocha, the lake, is veneered each year. The inhabitants are mainly engaged in agriculture and fishing. They produce textiles with a variety of designs and they make baskets and containers, using the straw they obtain from the ichu. They also carve granite rock they extract from llacastiti hill.

Lampa

Located 80 km northeast of puno and 35 km north of juliaca, lampa is known as the pink city of the andes , due to the color of its roof tiles and walls. Its highest attaraction is teh colonial church of santiago apostol, which houses the chapel of la piedad on one of its sides, where visitors can appreciate a replica of italian artist michelangelo’s famous 16 th century sculture “la pieta”, as well as canvas works from the schools of cusco and quito . In lampa one can also visit the home of victor humareda, a notable peruvian expressionist painter.

San antonio de putina

This is a province which center is located 84 km northeast of puno (3hr and 30 min). Well recommended are its thermal baths, which properties are good for curing rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis, gastric problems and skin conditions.

Ilave

This town is located in the province of el collao , 56 km (approximately 1 hr) southeast of puno. Considered as the second marketplace in the department thanks to its traditional sunday fair, it has preserved archaological areas, like jisqurayaa, for xample, and chullpas like kalacota, mullacani, chek’a, pukarani and mulla fasiri.

Juliaca

This is a city with a very prosperous and dynamic commercial activity. Its is situated 45 km (about 1 hr) north of the city of puno . In juliaca, the department’s largest city, with over 100,000 inhabitants, the churches such as santa catalina, with a mestizo baroque style, and la merced, as well as the franciscan priests’convent, a classic looking building are all woth visiting. Also well known is the “cristo blanco” (white christ) a statue erected on waynarroque hill, which features a magnificent panorama. The residents of juliaca make wooden instruments, such as traditional guitars, small andean guitars called charangos and violins.

Pomata

Located 108 km (1 hr and 30 min, approximately) southeast of puno, on the shore of lake titicaca , pomata is a town where the santiago apostol de nuestra senora del rosario church attracts the attention of visitors. The church dates back to the 18 th cen

Taquile

This is a peaceful island on lake titicaca , situated some 35 km (4hr) east of the city of puno , by boat. There are no roads or electricity in taquile, but there are plenty of hills and archaeological ruins. From chilcano one may arrive at the main aquare, the island’s main pier, after climbing 540 steps. The most popular attractions in taquile are its landscape, dominated by tiered platforms where potatoes, corn, quinoa and broad beans are cultivated; ceremonial sties hosting rituals imploringg for abundant harvests and fishing, and the hospitality of its people, who are so outstandingly organized. The textile industry is the main activity on this island and the garments they manufacture relate to their daily chores.

Chucuito

This is a town which is 18 km (about 30 min) southeast of puno. Its main square is flanked by two beautiful churches: la asuncion and santo domingo , both with a renaissance style, built in the 16 th century. This is where inka uyo is located, a space reportedly used to invoke and indece fertility, also known as the temple of the phallus.

Juli

On lake titicaca, 84 km southeast of puno (1 hr and 25 min, approximately) was the most important jesuit religious center used to train missionary workers from paraguay and bolivia . Extremely interesting churches are notable in this small city, such as san pedro martir, santa cruz de jerusalen, asuncion and san juan de letran, which is home to nearly 80 paintings of the school of cusco and whose beautiful grand windows are worked in stone brought from huamanga. There is a popular fair in juli every thursday.