Pachacámac, Archaeological site in Lurín, Peru

Pachacamac is an archaeological site of adobe and stone compounds, low brick enclosures, and stepped platforms on a sandy site above the Lurín River. Its best-preserved Inca buildings include the trapezoidal Temple of the Sun, a 30,000 m² terraced structure with rows of openings, and the Old Temple, built of small adobe bricks on a rocky promontory.

The first settlement began around the year 200 when local communities started building structures for religious purposes. Later the Wari, then the Ychma, and finally the Inca took control before Spanish soldiers arrived in the 16th century and destroyed the sanctuary.

The name Pachacámac means "soul of the earth, the one who animates the world". Priests entered the god's enclosure backwards, since no one could look him in the eyes, and a single movement of his head was said to cause earthquakes. Pilgrims from across the Andes came to consult the oracle and left offerings such as coca, quinoa and cayenne peppers.

The walking route covers paved paths and sandy sections, so comfortable closed-toe shoes work best. The sun shines strongly here year-round, so bring water, sunscreen, and a hat.

The 2.34-metre wooden idol found at the Painted Temple in 1938 was carbon-dated to about A.D. 760–876, Wari times, and had once been painted with cinnabar. Hernando Pizarro was said to have destroyed the original image in 1533. In 2005 an intact Ychsma elite tomb with funerary bundles and Amazon parrot-feather ornaments was found in front of the Painted Temple.