Pukará de Copaquilla

Pukará de Copaquilla is an ancient fortress positioned on a hilltop at 3000 meters elevation, surrounded by steep cliff formations. The site contains approximately 400 circular stone enclosures arranged throughout the terrain.

This fortress was built in the 12th century as a defensive structure for people living in this high-altitude zone. The site received restoration work from the University of Tarapaca in 1979 and was designated a National Monument in 1983.

The name comes from the Quechua language and means 'ash-colored dust', referring to how the local soil appears in this high-altitude region. When you walk through the site, you can understand why the landscape earned this description.

The site sits about 100 kilometers northeast of Arica and is accessible via Route 11-CH, which leads toward the Bolivian border. Visitors should prepare for high-altitude conditions and steep terrain on the hilltop itself.

Below the fortress lies a canyon descending 150 meters deep, where ancient agricultural terraces once allowed inhabitants to grow food. This hidden feature reveals how thoughtfully the ancient people organized settlement in this harsh terrain.