Lake Titicaca - History

The lake of Titicaca attracted in the pre-ceramic period nomads living from fish and meat. Original cave paintings are found in the neighbourhood. The impressive grave towers of the Kolla-culture in Sillustani are the concrete remains of this period. Later on was the region of Puno and the Titicaca Lake the scenery of important cultures like the Pucara and Tiahuanco. According to the legend is Titicaca the birthplace of Inca Manco Capac and his consort and sister Mama Occla. They raised out of the water with the divine assignment to establish an empire and unite the different cultures in the name of peace and civilization. The Incas incorporated the region of Titicaca and the Kolla-culture under Inca Mayta Capac to the empire of Tawantinsuyu and became part of the region of Kollasuyu. The importance of this Suyu into the empire was especially the presence of gold and silver mines, the breeding of alpacas and lamas for wool and meat and the culture of altitude plants as potatoes, quinoa and coffee.

Inca Empire came to an end, arrived in 1534 the Dominican priest Fray Tomas San Martin to convert the Indians in Catholics and to establish new settlements on the ruins left by the conquistadors. The Dominican, the Franciscan and Jesuit priests built many churches at the shores of the Titicaca. The dedication of the Indians in building the churches made this religious places as pearls of architecture and art.

The Salcedo brothers Josι and Gaspar discovered the gold mine of Layakakota and became in short time the richest men of Latin America. They founded in 1657 a city called San Juan Bautista de Puno. Next to the gold mine arose the city of San Luis de Alva and grew with 10.000 inhabitants bigger than Puno. Fighting between Spanish separatists flared up to capture the gold mines. In 1661 began in La Paz an Indian revolt and many cities and villages, included the gold mines, were plundered what lead to an absolute chaos. The viceroy Conde de Lemos conquered all fighting camps, executed Josι Salcedo and burned San Luis de Alva. From this moment on Puno was the most important city of the region. The gold mine of Laykakota is still closed and a local legend tells that nobody exactly knows where the gold mines were situated. In 1781 when Indian revolutions fought for independence, as for example the revolt of Tupac Katari. In the war of independence in the beginning of the 19th century was Puno an important connection city between the freedom fighters of Peru and Rio de la Plata in Buenas Aires. After the independence in 1821 was Puno the scene of battle between Peru and Bolivia. When the Bolivians won the battle of Ingavi, they occupied Peru until Tacna and Moquegua. The convention of 1847 neutralized the victory of the Bolivians and Puno and its region could finally live in peace.