Pisco

 city, capital city of state/province/region, earthquake epicenter

Pisco is a city in the Ica Region of Peru, the capital of the Pisco Province. The city is around 9 metres (28 feet) above sea level. Pisco originally prospered because of its nearby vineyards, and is the namesake of the Peruvian grape liquor, pisco.

The area is normally visited because of the concentration of marine animals and birds at the Paracas National Reserve, or the Peruvian Galapagos. At the reserve there are the Ballestas Islands, which are off limits to people, but boat tours can get close. The Chincha Islands are also near its coast. On the islands there are many birds, including pelicans, penguins, cormorants, Peruvian boobies, and Inca terns. There are also sea lions, turtles, dolphins, and whales.

The Pisco origins are from one of the major ancient civilizations in Peru, the Paracas culture. Due to its ease of access, and its crossroads to the Andes the Spanish considered making Pisco the capital, before they decided on Lima.

In the city is the Plaza de Armas, where people hang out and buy tejas, small sweets made from pecans and assorted dried fruits. Many different building that surround the Plaza are the statue of José de San Martín, the mansion he lived in, and the Municipal Palace. Other building in the city is the heavy Baroque Iglesia de la Compañía, begun in 1689, features a superb carved pulpit and gold-leaf altarpiece.

Near the town, just off the road to Ayacucho, lies the large well-preserved Inca site of Tambo Colorado.

The city has a population of 143,163 people (2020).

Pisco was very near the epicenter of the 2007 Peru earthquake and was severely hit. Peruvian media reported that 80% of the city was destroyed, including the central Cathedral of Pisco, in which a Mass was occuring at the time of the earthquake. Deaths are reported within the cathedral.

www.traveljournals.net/pictures/peru/pisco/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Peru_earthquake
www.nytimes.com/2007/08/17/world/americas/17cnd-peru.ht...