This was the largest city of the Chachapoya, a thriving pre-Inca culture that ruled Peru’s cloud forests for almost a thousand years. Construction began around 500CE and it housed over 5,000 people at its height. Some parts were still under construction up to the Inca domination in the 1470s.

There are more than 500 buildings that have been excavated and are in areas open to the public. Buildings were not restored (rebuilt) as they have been at Machu Picchu, but instead excavated, revealing the walls that did not collapse due to time. During excavations, archeologists have found thousands of skeletons because the Chachapoya buried their ancestors under the dirt floors of their homes.

The most interesting buildings are the Templo Mayor (above) and the houses with rhomboid eyes built into the walls (below). According to local legend, Kuélap’s eyes represent the condor and Yalape’s eyes represent the puma.