Cerro Santa Apolonia, Mountain lookout in Cajamarca, Peru.

Cerro Santa Apolonia is a mountain on the edge of Cajamarca city in the Peruvian Andes, with a summit that looks out over the valley below. Stone platforms and carved rock structures are found at the top, making it both a natural viewpoint and an archaeological site.

The Chavín culture reshaped the summit around 1200 BC, building platforms and underground structures that served as tombs for important people of Cajamarca. In the 7th century the hill was used to worship rain, lightning and the stars, and it remained a sacred site for centuries. Vestiges of pre-Inca buildings can still be seen at its edges.

The summit of Cerro Santa Apolonia was long treated as a sacred place where rituals were held and offerings were made. Visitors can still see carved rock surfaces and stone platforms that were used as part of these ceremonies.

The summit is reached on foot from central Cajamarca via steep paths, so sturdy shoes are a good idea. Going early in the morning gives clearer views over the valley and a quieter experience at the top.

The hill's earlier name, Rumi Tiana, means "Seat of Stone" in Quechua, referring to the carved rock at the summit. The Chavín modified the top around 1200 BC, building platforms and underground structures that served as tombs for important people of Cajamarca.