Oxapampa – Cultural Heritage and Nature

Oxapampa combines distinctive cultural sites with a connection to nature: the figures on an obelisk in Plaza Principal tell of different people and traditions, while the city is also considered a core area of a UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve. When planning your trip, it is worth considering these different themes and thinking about which discoveries you want to shape your stay.

The Obelisk and the Cityscape

A four-sided obelisk stands in Plaza Principal de Oxapampa, with an octagonal base decorated with wood carvings. It depicts Santa Rosa de Lima, a Yánesha person, an Austro-German settler, and Father Bardo Bayerle. These four figures are among the specific details that distinguish the obelisk from a simple monument in the square: They stand together on the carved base and invite you to take in each person depicted individually. The obelisk was built in 1959.

If you are interested in Oxapampa’s culture, this monument offers a well-defined starting point: a specific place, a known year of construction, and a clearly identifiable design. Rather than combining the figures into a single story, you can consider their distinct identities and the combination of the obelisk and wood carvings for yourself.

Cultural Heritage and Traditional Wooden Houses

The Iglesia Matriz Santa Rosa de Oxapampa has been declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation (Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación). It was built between 1939 and 1940 under the direction of Don Juan Tino Balarín, and designed by architect Otto Müller. This lets you consider both the church’s status as cultural heritage and the names of those involved in its construction and design. For a culture-focused trip, these are distinct aspects to explore alongside the obelisk in the square.

Another feature of the city is the traditional neighborhood of Barrio tradicional Miraflores. It is one of Oxapampa’s oldest neighborhoods and is distinguished by its typical Austro-German wooden houses. Together with the obelisk and the church, it offers a different way to experience the city: here, houses and the character of the neighborhood shape the impression; there, it is a monument or a building declared cultural heritage.

Biosphere Reserve and Natural Attraction

Oxapampa is considered a core area of the Oxapampa–Asháninka–Yánesha Biosphere Reserve, recognized by UNESCO in 2010. This designation gives the city a specific connection to the protected area. Another natural attraction is Catarata Río Tigre: this natural site is located in the hamlet of La Cañera, in the district and province of Oxapampa, in the Pasco region. It is 18 km from the city of Oxapampa. This gives you an urban focal point and a natural destination with a clearly stated distance to consider when planning your trip. If you want to include both, take the 18 km into account; no travel time is specified.

Getting There from Cerro de Pasco

Two different modes of transport, with specific travel times, are listed for the journey from Cerro de Pasco to Oxapampa. The interprovincial bus journey is listed as taking 10 hours and 30 minutes. The drive by private car is listed as taking 10 hours over 385 km. These figures refer to travel between the same places but by different modes of transport; the distance of 385 km applies to the journey by private car. Include the long journey as a separate part of your vacation planning when deciding how you want to spend your time in Oxapampa.

For the full travel overview: Oxapampa.