Kuntur Wasi
A pre-Inca Formative-period temple site where a gold crown was unearthed. An on-site museum displays the excavated artifacts.
Kuntur Wasi (meaning "House of the Condor God") lies near San Pablo, west of Cajamarca. It was a temple center dating from roughly 1100 to 50 BCE, featuring stone platforms, plazas and relief-carved stelae. Excavations by a Japanese archaeological team in the 1980s and 1990s uncovered treasures including a gold crown, now displayed in the museum beside the site. The drive from Cajamarca takes about 2.5 to 3 hours on mountain roads. It suits archaeology enthusiasts on a day trip, and you will need to hire a car or book through a local travel agency in advance.
Opening hours
Museum approx. 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Granja Porcón
- Cumbe Mayo
- Layzón
- Cerro Santa Apolonia
- Cajamarca Cathedral (Santa Catalina)
- Plaza de Armas of Cajamarca
- Belén Monumental Complex
- Ransom Room (El Cuarto del Rescate)