Canta
March 30, 2008
The town of Canta sits upon a hill high up in the Chillón Valley of Lima. Sitting on another nearby hill is Obrajillo, and on another San Miguel. This peaceful and picturesque town, green throughout most of the year, is just two hours journey from Lima.
Canta (left), Obrajillo (center), San Miguel (center right)
The town of Canta sits in a valley as full of history as any other in Peru. Ruins of Inca and pre-Inca civilisation are to be found in the mountains around the town. Canta though, is perhaps most famous for it’s more recent history.
It was from this city that 150 men prevented the passage of Chilean troops during the War of the Pacific. The Chilean battalion, wanting to pass through the valley towards Lima, were prevented from doing so by locals organised by Coronel Manuel Encarnación Vento.
Houses
The people of Canta knew that towns the Chilean army passed through were subject to rape, plunder and mascre. They decided to defend themselves. Knowing the location of the Chileans who where further up the valley, Vento led the Peruvians to engage them. Not knowing when the enemy would be re-enforced, Vento declared that they had to attack “Today or never“. Willing to do whatever it took to defend Canta, he added “Pass what may“. Thankfully, they managed to drive the Chileans back and protect their town and families from slaughter.
Today, with old battles long forgotten, Canta is a peaceful place of simple lifestyles. It’s a town of traditional narrow streets and people going about their daily business. Walking down these streets, the smell of freshly baked bread from the local bakery often filled the air.
Nearby, smaller towns are waiting to be explored.
Join me, exploring more of the Department of Lima, here.
Photos –
Comments (4)
Fresh (i.e. live) trout can be obtained at the farm in Obrajillo, from succulent small one to great big monsters of a kilo or more.
It’s a nice place to have lunch as well, at one of the outdoor stands by the river.
Stuart do you know anything about the derelict hacienda house and church on the right just as one enters the valley and starts heading uphill?
Yep, we made sure to eat in Obrajillo, but the trucha further up the valley was a little nicer.
The derelict hacienda? Do you mean in Carabayllo/El Progreso entering the Chillon valley or do you mean the old hacienda outside of Canta when taking the road further into the valley? There’s a hacienda outside Canta on the hill more or less above the town that I know was owned by someone important, but no, I don’t know much.
I guess I mean the one in Carabayllo, as it is just after one turns into the valley that leads to Canta. I recall we passed an dilapidated old mansion that must have been rather grand in its time, and important enough to have had its own chapel, now also in sad shape.
I didn’t notice. I couldn’t find it on Google earth and I don’t go to Carabayllo much
. A pity, abandoned haciendas are wonderful to explore, like this one in Chincha.