Rumicucho Inca Pucara, The Rumicucho Inca Pucara is a strategic fortress located 30 Km from Quito near to equinoccial line, this inca ruins worked as defensive and offensive point againts northern ancient tribes who fights against incas.

Location:
Pichincha
Altitude: 
2700meters
Area:
30hectares

The Rumicucho Pucara ruins are located 30 km north of Quito close to the Mitad del Mundo Monument and Catequilla Hill where the pre inca tribes find the real middle of the world. The Pucara of Rumicucho was built by the Inca invaders in the 15th century and iniciated by Tupac Yupanqui, it was mostly a military outpost to serve as an offensive and defensive guard post in their struggle to subjugate the northern tribes of the Cayambe, Cochasqui and Caranquis Indians, who offered them bitter resistance.

Recently the Banco Central organize a museum were there are exhibitions of some of the traces like bone spoons, shell objects, ceramic pots and more, these helps in the promotion of this historic monument that should be known for its rich history.

Probably because of its strategic position this fortress was used as an excellent observation point to watch for the enemies of the North. Also Rumicucho is known for being an astronomic observatory. Based in the investigations of the archaeologist Eduardo Almeida who studied the ruins for 25 years, he discovered that the most important place in Rumicucho were not the terraces but two oval room and a rock; and it is believed that this were built strategically to represent the equinoxes and solstices.

 In Rumicucho you have a great view of the Cayambe and La Marca mountains, which form a horizontal line going from East to West and were the sun goes through during the equinox. This is why it is believed that Pucara de Rumicucho was also a place of worship to the sun. If these theory are true we can say that the civilizations before the Spanish and Incas were very advanced in their astronomic knowledge.