Huaca Bellavista, Archaeological site in Santa Anita, Peru.
Huaca Bellavista is a pre-Columbian pyramid on the left bank of the Rímac River rising about 12 meters above ground. The structure covers roughly 90 by 60 meters and displays multiple construction layers built one on top of another over time.
The site was founded by the Ychsma culture between 1000 and 1532 and later became important under Inca rule. After Spanish conquest, the place continued to serve as a burial ground, adding layers from this later period.
The site reveals burial layers holding remains from indigenous peoples, Spanish colonists, and Chinese workers who came later. These layers show how different groups were part of this place's story and left their traces here.
The site is maintained by Peru's Ministry of Culture and Santa Anita Municipality and offers guided tours. These tours help visitors observe ancient building methods firsthand and understand how the construction was accomplished.
Discoveries here reveal traces of violence during Spanish conquest, with remains showing damage from both European firearms and Andean weapons. This finding shows that conflict left physical marks even in burial grounds.
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