The Sachapuyos constructed impressive citadels on the mountain peaks in order to take advantage of all the available fertile land.

Their stony temples and fortresses harmonized with the incomparable beauty of the regional landscape. One demonstration of the grandeur of this town, of which very little is known, is the fortified city of Kuelap, a jewel that dazzles at 3000 meters high.

The citadel of Kuelap, in the vicinity of the Amazon, is unique and cannot be compared with any other archaeological sites in Peru. Its name derives from a deformation of the word “Conlap,” the name of a Spanish town that existed in the area in 1591.

Kuelap is formed by a series of embankments from 15 to 20 meters in width, over which rise formidable inclined walls. The constructed entryways are highlighted in the shape of a funnel, with a width of 3 meters on the outside and 70 centimeters on the inside.

Some studies indicate that Kuelap was discovered in 1841 by the district judge Juan Crisostomo Nieto and was inhabited between the years 500 and 1000 A.C. The construction is believed to have utilized 25,000,000 of cubic meters of material, three times more than the volume of the Great Pyramid of Keops in Egypt.

In Kuelap, much remains to be discovered and investigated. For now, this city of 584 meters in length, 110 meters in width and walls of 20 meters in height continues to be shrouded by a veil of enigma and mystery, a veil that covers all who visit it.