Huaca San Marcos, Archaeological pyramid in Lima District, Peru
Huaca San Marcos is an ancient adobe brick pyramid in Lima that stretches roughly 330 meters long and reaches about 30 meters high, displaying multiple stacked platforms. These platforms were connected by staircases and ramps and served different purposes from ceremonies to everyday use.
The site was built by the Lima Culture between 200 and 700 AD and shows the early achievements of this civilization in architecture. Over time, the structure was reworked and expanded multiple times, with new layers adding new functions.
The name links to the patron saint of the adjacent university, merging ancient heritage with colonial tradition. Visitors can still observe the lower platforms where religious and daily activities took place.
The site sits within the university campus and is somewhat hard to spot since buildings partially surround and overshadow it. It is best visited early in the day or during academic breaks when there is less university traffic.
The place was used not only for ceremonies but also as a residential area, leaving behind rare items from daily life like ceramic vessels and tools. This blend of religious and domestic spaces makes it unusual among many other pre-Columbian sites in the region.
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