Azángaro 5.2

Azángaro is a town in Southern Peru, capital of the province Azángaro in the region of Puno.The colonial church in Azangaro is known as the golden temple. In the adjacent Plaza San Bernardo, Pedro Vilca Apaza was drawn and quartered for his role as a General in Tupac Amaru II's attempt to liberate Perú from the Spanish government. His last words were, "Por este Sol aprended a morir como yo." After Tupac Amaru II's execution, leadership of the revolution shifted to Azangaro.The church bell tower, an example of colonial decorative adobe, was much disfigured by rains before recent rains caused a collapse of most of the tower. The gold interior is a magnificent example of rich colonial art. Recently, colonial treasures were robbed from the church.HistoryAzángaro was "discovered" by Captain Don Manuel Ortiz Aguilar on November 1535. The priest Rodrigo Chrysostom, overseer of the Doctrine of baptism of the Collao Indians in 1535, is the first to report on the existence Azángaro, which was located in the place called Macaya and there an idol of a cat whose eyes were rubies was worshiped. When Christians brought indoctrination to this place, the doctrine of "Our Lady of the Rosary" was founded and a small church was built in the orders of the Dominico Father Tomas de San Martin and Acosta (the same who founded the University of San Marcos) and cacique Fabian Mango.The arrival of the Spanish in Azángaro occurs in 1535. In 1542 the Viceroyalty of Peru covering 3 states are created: Lima, La Plata and Chile, this time Azángaro and Puno belong to this Viceroyalty.Already in the Republican Era, in 1825, by the law of February 5 Azángaro is elevated to city status. In 1825, by the law of June 21 Azángaro was created as the capital of the province of the same name with its 18 districts: Achaya, Arapa, Asillo, Caminaca, Azángaro, etc.