Matucana, Peru

{{Infobox settlement |settlement_type = Town  |official_name = Matucana |motto = |image_skyline = Peru railroad station.jpg |imagesize = |image_caption = A railroad near Matucana |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |city_logo = |citylogo_size = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = |pushpin_map = Peru |pushpin_label_position = |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{PER}} |subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Peru|Region]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Lima Region|Lima]] |subdivision_type2 = [[Provinces of Peru|Province]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Huarochirí Province|Huarochirí]] |subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Peru|District]] |subdivision_name3 = [[Matucana District|Matucana]] |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 = |government_type = |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = Eveling Feliciano Ordoñez <br><small>(2019-2022)</small> |leader_title1 =  |leader_name1 = |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |established_title = Established |established_date = 1647 |established_title2 =  |established_date2 = |established_title3 =  |established_date3 = |area_magnitude = |unit_pref =  |area_footnotes = |area_total = |area_land = |area_water = |TotalArea_sq_mi = |LandArea_sq_mi = |WaterArea_sq_mi = |area_water_percent = |area_urban = |UrbanArea_sq_mi = |area_metro = |MetroArea_sq_mi = |population_as_of = |population_footnotes = |population_note =

|population_total = 5768 |population_density = |population_density_mi2 = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_mi2 = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_mi2 = |timezone = PET |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |coordinates = {{coord|11|50|41|S|76|23|10|W|region:PE|display=inline}} |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = 2378 |elevation_ft = 7802 |postal_code_type =  |postal_code = |area_code = |website = |footnotes = }}

'''Matucana''' is a town in Central [[Peru]], capital of the [[Matucana District]] located in the [[Huarochirí Province]], in the [[Department of Lima]]. It's located to the east of Lima at 2,378 [[metre|m]] (7,802 ft) above sea level, along the [[Central Highway of Peru|Central Highway]] ({{langx|es|Carretera Central}}) at [[Kilometre|km]] 74.

==History== {{Unreferenced section|date=February 2023}} Matucana was founded in 1647 by Miguel de Castro y García, a descendant of one of Francisco Pizarro's Conquistadores. He discovered gold in the hills outside of Matucana at a site that was once a holy shrine for the Incas. Using Inca slaves to operate the mine, he became very wealthy and eventually returned to live in Lima, Peru. The gold mine was unfortunately buried in a huge avalanche triggered by the devastating Santa Ursula earthquake of October 21, 1756, which also caused great damage to the City of [[Lima]].

==Climate== Matucana has a [[semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''BSk'')<ref>{{Cite journal |date=23 October 2023 |title=Table 1 Overview of the Köppen-Geiger climate classes including the defining criteria. |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-023-02549-6/tables/1 |journal=Nature: Scientific Data |language=en}}</ref> with mild temperatures.

Matucana experiences relatively stable temperatures throughout the year, with minor variations between months. The dry season experiences larger [[diurnal air temperature variation]], with warmer days and cooler nights, compared to the wet season. The yearly average high temperature is 21.4°C (70.5°F), while the yearly average low temperature is 9.8°C (49.6°F).<ref name="WMONormals"/>

The total annual precipitation is 311.6 millimeters (12.27 inches). Matucana receives the majority of its precipitation during the [[wet season]], which typically spans from January to March. The months from May to September experience almost no rainfall.<ref name="WMONormals"/>

{{Weather box | width = auto | collapsed = yes | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Matucana (1991–2020) | Jan high C = 20.3 | Feb high C = 20.0 | Mar high C = 20.1 | Apr high C = 21.0 | May high C = 21.8 | Jun high C = 21.8 | Jul high C = 21.9 | Aug high C = 22.3 | Sep high C = 22.7 | Oct high C = 22.4 | Nov high C = 21.9 | Dec high C = 20.9 | year high C = 21.4 | Jan low C = 10.8 | Feb low C = 10.9 | Mar low C = 10.9 | Apr low C = 10.1 | May low C = 9.5 | Jun low C = 8.5 | Jul low C = 8.2 | Aug low C = 8.4 | Sep low C = 9.4 | Oct low C = 9.8 | Nov low C = 9.8 | Dec low C = 10.7 | year low C = 9.8 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 60.0 | Feb precipitation mm = 76.7 | Mar precipitation mm = 83.7 | Apr precipitation mm = 25.9 | May precipitation mm = 0.8 | Jun precipitation mm = 0.1 | Jul precipitation mm = 0.0 | Aug precipitation mm = 0.3 | Sep precipitation mm = 1.3 | Oct precipitation mm = 8.2 | Nov precipitation mm = 13.7 | Dec precipitation mm = 40.9 | year precipitation mm = 311.6 | source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web |url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-3-WMO-Normals-9120/Peru/CSV/Matucana_74402.csv |title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Matucana |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = January 27, 2024}}</ref> }}

==Society and culture== {{Unreferenced section|date=February 2023}} The City of Matucana is a popular destination for eco-tourists, as it has beautiful water falls in the deep valleys outside of the town and plentiful hiking trails. It is also the starting point for the increasingly popular "De Las Montanas y Mar" bicycle race held every year between Matucana and Lima.

The bicycle race starts at the Chez Victor Restaurant in Matucana and finishes at the La Rosa Nautica Restaurant in Lima. One of Don Miguel's descendants runs the Chez Victor restaurant in Matucana, while the La Rosa Nautica Restaurant is owned by the descendants of the Viceroy who granted the lands around Matucana to Don Miguel de Castro y Garcia.

==References== * [[Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática]] [http://www1.inei.gob.pe/ Resultados censales] {{in lang|es}} {{reflist}}

{{Coord|11|50|41|S|76|23|10|W|region:PE_type:city|display=title}}

[[Category:Populated places in the Department of Lima]] [[Category:1647 establishments in the Spanish Empire]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1647]]