viernes, 29 de abril de 2011

PERU'S ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES TO ATTRACT 3 MILLION VISITORS IN 2011



ANDINA. At least three million people will visit the archaeological sites run by Peru’s Ministry of Culture during 2011, according to Culture Minister Juan Ossio.

Minister Ossio praised the research, inspection and conservation work done by archaeologists in the country, as they have helped declare some 12,360 archaeological sites as cultural heritage of Peru.

The minister urged Peruvians to take care and defend our rich and varied archaeological treasures, including relics (ceramics, textiles, stone and wooden artifacts) and sites (temples, palaces and urban centers).

In 2010, 2.89 million people visited the archaeological sites and museums run by the Ministry of Culture.

The archaeological places in Cusco attracted the largest number of visitors with 1.06 million people, followed by Lima with 500,281, Lambayeque with 331,789, La Libertad with 288,240, Ancash with 132,751 and Cajamarca with 129,742.

Machu Picchu was Peru's top attraction with 583,480 visitors, followed by the Royal Tomb of Sipan Museum with 159,846 visitors, the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru (150,733), the Museum of Pachacamac (117,656) and the Huaca del Sol y de la Luna (108,640).