{"id":2854,"date":"2015-08-02T21:29:40","date_gmt":"2015-08-02T20:29:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/?p=2854"},"modified":"2015-08-11T08:47:03","modified_gmt":"2015-08-11T07:47:03","slug":"2015-05-16-cajamarca-or-bathing-as-the-incas-did","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/?p=2854","title":{"rendered":"2015-05-16: Cajamarca or Bathing as the Incas did"},"content":{"rendered":"

History<\/h1>\n

The area of Cajamarca is continuously inhabited since 2000 years. During the reign of Inca king Pachacuti, sometimes between 1463 and 1471,\u00a0 Cajamarca and the surrounding area were conquered by his son Tupac Inca and added to the Inca empire.<\/p>\n

From 1527 – 1532, Atahualpa Inca resided in Cajamarca\u00a0 fighting a civil war against is half brother Hu\u00e1scar for the throne in Quito (which is today in Ecuador). The first major confrontation is known as the Battle of Chimborazo and took place in early 1532. Even though the exact numbers of soldiers is not known, these battles were large scale conflicts involving 10ths of thousand or even hundreds of thousand of soldiers.\u00a0 In April 1532, the civil war for supremacy ended, when\u00a0 Atahualpa’s generals Quizquiz and Chalicuchima\u00a0 defeated Hu\u00e1scar’s armies in the battle of Quipaipan (near Cusco),\u00a0 seized his capital Cusco, and captured him. Atahualpa then had about\u00a0 30 % of Cusco’s population killed.<\/p>\n

Atahualpa now ruled\u00a0 over the whole Inca empire. He would however not be able to enjoy his victories for too long. On November 15th 1532, the Spanish conquistadores arrived in Cajamarca. They found the town largely deserted as most Incas including Atahualpa had left for the\u00a0 hot spring in nearby Ba\u00f1os del Inca. The following day, the Spanish persuaded Atahualpa to return to Cajamarca for a meeting. Atahulpa had around 80000 troops at his disposal in Cajamarca, and underestimated the danger that Pizzaro and his 168 heavily armed soldiers represented. The day ended with Atahualpa being captured, and many of his accompanying 4000-5000 soldiers slaughtered. No one of the Spanish conquistadores was killed.<\/p>\n

Realising the lust for precious metals of his oppressors, Atahualpa offered to fill a room with gold\u00a0 one time and twice with silver in return for his freedom. To rule out competitors offering more gold which would endanger his release,\u00a0 he had his half brother Huascar killed. The conquistadores happily agreed to his proposal, and took the gold and silver. Then they reconsidered, and staged a mocked trial that was presided by Francisco Pizzaro and Diego de Almagra. The verdict was predetermined and the court handed down a\u00a0 death sentences to\u00a0 Atahualpa. In fact, Pizzaro feared military campaigns from the Incas should he\u00a0 set Atahualpa free. Pizzaro however was not completely without mercy: In exchange for Atahualpa conversion to Catholicism,\u00a0 he\u00a0 commuted\u00a0his sentence from death by burning into the death by garrotting. According to Inca believe, burning the body would destroy the soil.\u00a0 Athualpa was baptised as Francisco Atahualpa in honour of Francisco Pizzaro, and then executed on July 26th 1533.<\/p>\n

Well, tought times. Very few of the actors during this part of\u00a0 South American history would die of natural causes, neither on the Spanish, nor on the Inca side. Also Pizzaro and Diego de Almagra both died untimely deaths. Diego de Almagra was garotted on command of Hernando Pizzaro, the brother of Francisco Pizzaro in 1538 as result of a power struggle, and\u00a0Francisco Pizzaro was stabbed to death in revenge by Almagra’s son in 1541. And Peru’s population\u00a0 diminished from about 7 millions to around 500000 in\u00a0 just 50 years. What the conquistadores did not do by forced labour,\u00a0 illnesses imported from Europe such as smallpox and measles did.<\/p>\n

Visiting Cajamarca<\/h1>\n

Arrival in Cajamarca<\/h2>\n

After a strenuous night on the bus, I arrived in the morning at the central bus terminal in Cajamarca which is little more than a muddy plaza with countless potholes and some crooked sheds that are encircled by a fence.<\/p>\n

First, I needed to sort out the logistics — I had to deposit my luggage at a safe place. No lockers in Cajamarca (I am not even sure if these exist somewhere in Peru) . I would leave to Lima in the afternoon, so no hotel to store the luggage either.\u00a0 After a little bit of thinking about my options (after a night on the bus and 2700 meters elevation, this took me a moment) , I went to the airport, and checked in my luggage.<\/p>\n

El Ba\u00f1os del Inca<\/h2>\n

I then took a taxi to el Ba\u00f1os del Inca which is a small village next to Cajamarca. It features a hot spring that is next to a museum with the usual collection of human (Inca) skulls. After having bask in the warm water where Atabualpa once had enjoyed himself, I went back with my personal cab driver back\u00a0 to Cajamarca to see el cuarto del rescate or the ransom chamber.<\/p>\n

El Cuarto del Rescate\/Ransom Room<\/h2>\n

The name as well as the line painted on the wall marking the level to which Atahualpa intended to fill the room with gold is actually misleading. The room in which the gold was collected no longer exists. The building that is shown to the ill-informed tourist is actually the only remaining Inca building in Cajamarca and the room, in which Atahualpa was held in captivity. Only recently, a tent was set up over the building to protect it from the environment. At the entrance, there are some modern day paintings depicting the events that unfolded with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores.<\/p>\n

El Complejo de Bel\u00e9n<\/h2>\n

The complex was constructed from volcanic rock between 1627 and 1773, and housed a hospital for men as well as a baroque church (Igelsia de Bel\u00e9n). Today, the hospital houses a modern art gallery featuring works by local artists. According to the guide book, the fa\u00e7ade of the church\u00a0 entrance\u00a0 depicts a women with four breasts which supposedly reflects an affliction. I was however not able to clearly make out this statue.<\/p>\n

Museo Arqueol\u00f3gico y Etnogr\u00e1fico<\/h2>\n

Just next to Complejo de B\u00e8len, there is another colonial building. It used to be the womens’ hospital. Today, there is an archaeological museum displaying artefacts produced by local cultures (not necessary Inca), such as cloths, pottery, music instruments, as well as other objects of daily need.<\/p>\n

Plaza del Armas<\/h2>\n

I finished sightseeing by visiting Plaza del Armas, the location were the Inca empire started to crumble with the capture of Atahualpa Inca. It has the usual layout: A squared plaza with churches bordering (Catedral de Cajamarca, and Iglesia de San Francisco), and a fountain in the middle. Next to the fountain, there was a musician playing a long pipe-shaped instrument which sounded like a didgeridoo. Apparently, it was not only long, but also heavy, as the musician required\u00a0 frequent breaks.<\/p>\n

Lima<\/h2>\n

I would board the afternoon plane bound to Lima looking forward to pick Gisela and Felix at the airport in Lima.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Ba\u00f1os<\/a>
Ba\u00f1os del Inca: Hot Spring<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Ba\u00f1os<\/a>
Ba\u00f1os del Inca: Security Guard in Steam of Hot Spring<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Carajima:<\/a>
Ba\u00f1os del Inca: Bathing in the\u00a0 Hot Spring where Athualpa Inca used to relax<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
Cajamarca: Stadium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
El Cuarto del Rescate\/Ransom Room: It actually housed an unhappy Atahualpa rather than the Ransom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
El Cuarto del Rescate\/Ransom Room: The Line indicating the height to which the room was to be filled with gold was added later on. This was the room in which Atahualpa was held. The Ransom was stored in a different building that no longer exists.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
El Cuarto del Rescate\/Ransom Room: Painting showing the Ambush and the Subsequent Capture of Atahualpa Inca<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
El Cuarto del Rescate\/Ransom Room: Painting showing Atahualpa setting the ransom for his release<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
El Cuarto del Rescate\/Ransom Room: Painting of the planned fate for Atahualpa. He was condemned to be burned on a stake. He stroke a deal with the Spanish: Conversion to Catholicism in return for garotting. Not the kind of choices one wants to take…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
Cajamarca: El Complejo de Bel\u00e9n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
El Complejo de Bel\u00e9n: Church Plaza. The entrance to the former men’s hospital is on the right<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
El Complejo de Bel\u00e9n: Painting of Organic Landscape with Gently Rolling Slopes, Flowers, and more<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
El Complejo de Bel\u00e9n: Sculptures in Fasade (My guess for statue of the women with four breasts would be the one on the top left)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
Museo Arqueol\u00f3gico y Etnogr\u00e1fico: Bell Tower and Entrance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
Museo Arqueol\u00f3gico y Etnogr\u00e1fico: Bells Tower and Sky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
Museo Arqueol\u00f3gico y Etnogr\u00e1fico: Inca Ceramic<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
Museo Arqueol\u00f3gico y Etnogr\u00e1fico: Statue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
Plaza de Armas: Iglesia de Francisco<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Plaza de Armas: Fountain with Catedral de Cajamarca in Background<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
Cajamarca: Musican playing a long horn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cajamarca:<\/a>
Cajamarca: An A319 that would take me to Lima<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Lima:<\/a>
Lima: Gisela\u00a0 and Felix arrive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Lima:<\/a>
Lima: Felix with Welcome-Balloon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"In<\/a>
In and around Cajamarca<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
GPS Tracks from Chachapoyas to Lima via Cajamarca<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

History The area of Cajamarca is continuously inhabited since 2000 years. During the reign of Inca king Pachacuti, sometimes between 1463 and 1471,\u00a0 Cajamarca and the surrounding area were conquered by his son Tupac Inca and added to the Inca empire. From 1527 – 1532, Atahualpa Inca resided in Cajamarca\u00a0 fighting a civil war against … Continue reading 2015-05-16: Cajamarca or Bathing as the Incas did<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2854"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2854"}],"version-history":[{"count":86,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2854\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3237,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2854\/revisions\/3237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2854"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2854"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2854"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}