Peru Opens Sacred City to Tourists

Following restoration efforts the Caral-Supe Special Archeological Project, Peru´s sacred city of Caral is now open as a prime destination and archeological treasure for tourists who visit Lima, the Commission for the Promotion of Peru (PromPeru) announced Monday.

Caral is the oldest city in the Americas and is regarded as an integral part in changing the history of Peru since its discovery in 1994. The city is built over 5,000 years ago, is not only the oldest city in the Americas but also third overall after Mesopotamia and Egypt, followed by China and India.

This historical treasure, located in the Supe Valley, is just two hours north of Lima and easily accessible by the Pan-American Highway.

Although Machu Picchu, located in Cusco, has gained considerably more attention around the world as the capital of the Inca Empire, many do not know that the sacred city of Caral was the first political state formed in Peru 4,400 years prior to the Incas, PromPeru said in a release.