The landing of General José de San Martín in Paracas, near the port of
Pisco, on September 8, 1820, is one of the most important milestones in the
history of Peru. It represented, for the Peruvian people, the connection
point and the common desire to feel part of the liberating army and thus
join the independence cause. A day earlier, on September 7, 200 years ago,
General José de San Martín (1778-1850), in command of the Liberating
Expedition, reached the shores of Paracas Bay.
The liberating army was made
up of more than 4,000 men, including patriotic Argentines, Chileans and
Peruvians. The objective was to support the Peruvian patriots in their
struggle to free themselves from Spanish rule and seal the independence of
the Spanish colonies in South America. The first flag of Peru was born in
Pisco, thanks to a provision of the Argentine liberator general, José de San
Martín, who thus gave a description of how the first national symbol of
Peruvians should be made:
Pisco, a Quechua name that means “bird”, is a place that was within the territory of the pre-Hispanic Paracas and Nazca cultures, even around 1000 BC. c. the first sedentary settlement was produced due to the enormous marine riches that the ancient inhabitants collected. In that sense, its cultural and historical vestiges are extensive.
With the establishment of the viceroyalty of Peru, the port of Pisco served as a
point of departure for the quicksilver of Huancavelica and the pisco that was
produced in the nearby valleys. During the government of the viceroy of Peru
Pedro Álvarez de Toledo y Leiva, Marquis of Mancera, Pisco was founded as a
"villa", under the name of "Villa de San Clemente de Mancera",
although
popularly it was always known as "Villa de Pisco". . It was an ancient
indigenous seat related to the extraction of guano from the islands, highly
valued as a fertilizer in pre-Hispanic Peru.
In 1820, the Liberating Expedition led by José de San Martín
and Bernardo
O'Higgins Riquelme arrived in Pisco, landing in the Bay of Paracas, where the
first flag and the first national coat of arms of Peru were created. In
consideration of the above, in 1832, after an agreement of the Departmental
Board of Lima in order for the Villa de Pisco to receive the title of "Villa y
Puerto de la Independencia", the Congress of Peru established by law that it
would be called with that name, extending such qualification both to the town
and to the riverside population.
In 1868 the Villa de Pisco was designated capital of the new province of Chincha
and in 1898 it was elevated to the rank of "city". In this regard, in 1947, the
historian from Pisque Mamerto Castillo Negrón stated that Pisco had received in
its history two additions that did fair honors to its merit: first, that it was
"Villa y Puerto de la Independencia" and, second, the recognition as capital of
Province.
On August 15, 2007, the city was shaken at 6:40 p.m. by a strong earthquake of
8.0 degrees on the Richter scale that left it in ruins, in said tragedy 519
people died and 16,000 houses were destroyed according to figures from INDECI
(Instituto National Civil Defense). Currently, the construction of different
buildings in the city is planned, which includes the renovation of the airport
as well as the port of Pisco.
Do you want to know a little more about the city of Pisco? Are you organizing a
trip to Paracas and Ballestas Islands and need more information about these
wonderful places on the southern coast of Peru? Suffice it to say that Pisco is
one of the most important cities in Peru, since it not only saw the birth of the
emblematic Peruvian national drink, pisco, but it was also the cradle of the
first flag of Peru, created on the shores of Paracas.
By the liberator José de
San Martín. Pisco city comprises two zones: “Pisco Pueblo”, which includes the
historic downtown area and the districts bordering the South Pan-American
highway; “Pisco Playa”, which covers the districts and the areas surrounding the
seashore. Discover more about Pisco in the following lines!
Ballestas Islands
Located 231 kilometers south of the city of Lima, the province of Pisco is one
of the favorites for tourists who visit the Ica region. It houses the
Paracas
National Reserve, as well as other attractions of captivating
landscape and
natural beauty that have theSafe Travels seal as biosafe
destinations. And it
also has a unique historical heritage as it was the scene of the landing of the
liberating expedition in 1820, led by General José de San Martín.
Although this year the traditional Tourist Week will not be held due to
prevention of the possibility of a third wave of covid-19, it is possible to
visit the province of Pisco thanks to its proximity to Lima and enjoy a few days
of its magnificent natural settings, headed through the Paracas National
Reserve, the chandelier, the Ballestas Islands, the Julio C. Tello museum, the
Morón oasis, tour its historic Plaza de Armas, and savor the delights of its
gastronomy.
The Ballestas Islands are part of one of the ideal protected natural areas to
visit and learn about, because they offer a special connection due to their
natural beauty and landscape, in addition to having a biodiverse coastal marine
fauna and historical value in the development of the country's economy. There
you can see sea lions, penguins, guano birds and other resident species and
visitors to this set of islands that are part of the Paracas National Reserve.
The tourist tour inside the Ballestas Islands protected natural area will be
carried out maintaining a distance of no less than 50 meters between boats. For
biosafety purposes and compliance with the established parameters, the cargo
capacity within the Ballestas Islands tourist route will be 45 boats per day.
Famous geoglyph also called "Three Crosses" or "Trident", is
located on a sand
hill in the northern sector of the Paracas peninsula. The figure measures 177
meters long and 54 meters wide. It is estimated that it is about 2,500 years
old. Its meaning remains a mystery, although there are theories that link it to
the Nasca and Pampas de Jumaná geoglyphs.
The work of making this geoglyph in the sand was very precise
considering that
the area is very windy. The direction of El candelabro,
together with the wind
and sea water, have formed a thick crystalline layer that has kept it intact
since its creation. To appreciate the Chandelier you have to navigate a certain
distance from the coast, which is why it is part of the circuits to visit the
Ballestas Islands.
The chandelier: measures 177 meters long and 54 wideIt is an important rock formation that is 28 to 40 million years old and resembled, as its name indicates, a gigantic cathedral. The partial collapse that it suffered in the earthquake that devastated Pisco in 2007 has not limited the majesty of the landscape, limited the majesty of the landscape that can be seen from there. From this natural viewpoint you can see the characteristic fauna of the cliffs such as boobies, tendrils, chuitas, black oystercatchers, sea otters and dolphins.
on the most visited beaches of the Paracas National Reserve due to its great
scenic beauty, where somewhat elevated rocky cliffs, calm and crystalline waters
and fine white sand stand out.
The name La Mina comes from an old coal mine that existed at the southern end of
the beach. Getting to Raspón was, until a while ago, a somewhat risky adventure,
since visitors had to descend a steep rocky slope, hence its name, since those
who fell in the attempt ended up with some scrapes. Today access is simple and
does not imply any problem.
Playa Lagunillas Sandy beach with small rock formations. Visitors can visit the nearby fishermen's cove, where they land fish such as cabrilla, cabinza, bonito, mackerel and mackerel, among others, as well as mussels, limpets, chanque, octopus, crab, etc. Before reaching Lagunillas, you will cross a Sernanp control and surveillance post with park rangers from the Paracas National Reserve.
It is a small crescent-shaped cove that is approximately 2 kilometers long. Its
name comes from Quechua and means "place where it is removed by hand", since it
is possible to extract small molluscs known as "palabritas".
The giant penguin, called Inkayacu paracasensis, in honor of the Paracas
National Reserve, was discovered in this area. There is a replica of this
species in the Interpretation Center.
The reddish color of the shore gives the place a unique beauty. This color is due to its proximity to the Punta Santa María massif, formed by rocks that contain solidified magma inside. The action of the waves on the massif drags the reddish fragments of the rocks, which accumulate on the shore, thus giving rise to the name of the beach.
Playa roja
The Julio C. Tello Site Museum is located in the Paracas National Reserve, at
kilometer 27 of the Pisco-Puerto San Martín highway, 22 kilometers south of the
city of Pisco.
It houses 120 pieces, including ceramics, fabrics and utensils from the Paracas
civilization, which ranges from the initial periods, around 700 years BC, to 200
AD. about.
Likewise, the funerary bundles that contain bone remains in a good state of
conservation stand out. There are also deformed skulls that show the surgical
operations known as "trepanations" and demonstrate the great knowledge of this
ancient culture in the field of medicine.
The cultural venue also has a projection room for audiovisual material and a
Temporary Exhibition Room. The first environment that provides an introduction
to the Paracas civilization, the arid environment they inhabited (the Paracas
peninsula), as well as their worldview and utilitarian material objects, such as
their famous textiles of extraordinary technique and color, ceramics and various
instruments.
The Julio C. Tello Site Museum was awarded, in October 2018, as the "Best museum
in Latin America", in the fifth edition of the Leading Culture Destinations
Awards, held at the South Kensington Club, in the city of London.
Historical. This is how the Ministry of Production called the amount of pisco that was manufactured in Peru during 2016. The portfolio reported that the more than 10 million liters produced last year broke the production record in previous periods. In addition, exports increased by 12.6% in volume, especially those that reach new destinations such as India, Israel, Belgium, Norway and the Dominican Republic.
Despite the quarrel between Chile and Peru over the name of pisco –and which reissued its last battle at the end of May for participation in an international contest–, the southern country is the main export destination for the drink produced in Peruvian territory. In fact, last year sales to that country grew by 13.5%.
Last February, it was revealed that pisco in its different presentations, such as pisco sour or chilcano, managed to position itself as the third most consumed beverage by Peruvians, after beer and wine.
Since April 7, 1988, the country declared the word pisco cultural heritage.
However, the regulation of this drink had begun in 1932 when a supreme
resolution was issued limiting the use of the name grape brandy and requiring
labels.
In 1940, "the importation of cane alcohol" into the "wine-growing" area of Pisco
was prohibited. By 1946, the denominations of pisco, grape brandy and cognac
began to be differentiated. In 1990, it was finally declared that pisco "is a
Peruvian denomination of origin for the products obtained by the distillation of
wines derived from the fermentation of fresh grapes, on the coast of the
departments of Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and the valleys. of Locumba, Sama
and Caplina, in the department of Tacna
Marketing of PiscoEste popular coctel también fue declarado Patrimonio Cultural de Perú en 2007 y su día nacional se celebra el primer sábado de cada febrero. Lo curioso es que la denominada bebida bandera no fue creada por un peruano sino por un inmigrante anglosajón. A principios del siglo XX, reportó el Ministerio de Cultura, Víctor V. Morris, dueño del Bar Morris en el Jirón de la Unión del centro histórico de Lima, empezó a servir la preparación bajo el nombre con el que se le conoce actualmente. Citando un anuncio, que data de 1927, sobre el establecimiento, el Ministerio de Cultura afirma que el lugar se había hecho famoso porque importaba “toda clase de vinos, licores y cervezas” y además ofrecía “la exquisita preparación de sus 'pisco-sour' y 'whisky-sour', etc., en los que emplea licores genuinos”. Durante la celebración del Día del Pisco Sour, el consumo del coctel en algunos de los bares más tradicionales alcanza los 500 vasos en un promedio de 750 por día.
Paracas, in the south of Peru, opened the doors of the first Pisco Museum in the country in February 2013. The place has 10 exhibition halls, one of which recognizes all those who contributed to the dissemination of pisco and its culture, as well as another dedicated to the winners of national and international competitions. There is also a historical tour of the process that the drink has had and visitors can taste and buy it.
It was reported that until 2016 there were a total of approximately 523 pisco-producing companies, of which 48.8% are in Lima. It is followed by the Ica region with 34.6%. As well as exports and production, the manufacturers of this drink also increased compared to 2015: 15%.
The Peruvian fans of Café Tacuba wanted to give the band a very special gift,
when it celebrated its first 20 years of life. In July 2009, the group was on a
musical tour for the anniversary and in Peru they prepared a bottle of pisco
with a label inspired by the members.
As reported by Andina at the time, the chosen brand was "Old
Tonel" and the
presentation included "a luxurious label with the faces of all the members of
the band on a white background and the official logo of the anniversary." On the
back was the history of Peruvian pisco and its origin. “This is our show of
affection so that the boys can celebrate these 20 years as it should be. It is a
Peruvian gift and we decided on this because we know that the band is a fan of
this liquor,” Roberto Orellana, president of the Café Tacuba fan club in Peru,
explained to Andina at the time.
The story of the arrival of pisco and vineyards in Peru is attributed to the
Spanish conquerors who reached the lands inhabited by the Incas
in the mid-16th
century. According to the story collected by a law of the Arequipa region,
historians agree that "the first grapes and the first vineyard crops were
brought by the Marquis Francisco de Caravantes, most likely from the Canary
Islands."
The regulations add that in a few decades this liquor became the favorite of the
crowds and an element of socialization. So much so that for the following
century the production of wine and pisco "reached large-scale levels in the
regions of Ica, Lima, Moquegua, Tacna" and Arequipa, "developing an intense
viticultural activity during the 17th and 18th centuries."
The National Pisco Commission explained that there are four types of pisco:
