Chilca is a Peruvian city located in the Lima Region. It is the capital of the Chilca District.

History

It is located in the "old village of Chilca", dating from 7000 BC. This place is an old fishing village that has a wide beach and a Catholic church cemetery. This land is known for its abundant production of

figs The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of tree or shrub in the flowering plant family Moraceae, native to the Mediterranean region, together with western and southern Asia. It has been cultivated since ancient times and i ...

and

pomegranates The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. Rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, it is thought to have originat ...

, as well as for lakes that locals say have healing properties, particularly for dermatological and bone ailments,

hypertension Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a Chronic condition, long-term Disease, medical condition in which the blood pressure in the artery, arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms i ...

problems and infertility. The French explorer Jean-François-Marie de Surville was buried in Chilca after drowning off the coast in 1770.

Lake

The primary lake in Chilca is called La Milagrosa or Qoricocha (gold pond in Quechua). Its accumulated water table or underground waters are highly mineralized, containing

sodium chloride Sodium chloride , commonly known as Salt#Edible salt, edible salt, is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions. It is transparent or translucent, brittle, hygroscopic, and occurs a ...

sulfate The sulfate or sulphate ion is a polyatomic anion with the empirical formula . Salts, acid derivatives, and peroxides of sulfate are widely used in industry. Sulfates occur widely in everyday life. Sulfates are salts of sulfuric acid and many ...

calcium carbonate Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is a common substance found in Rock (geology), rocks as the minerals calcite and aragonite, most notably in chalk and limestone, eggshells, gastropod shells, shellfish skel ...

which are said to be helpful for chronic articular

rheumatism Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including a ...

. The black mud is said to protect and revitalize the skin. La Milagrosa is a lagoon of about 200 meters long and 50 meters wide. It is surrounded by numerous, not very deep, pools where visitors smear themselves with

mud Mud (, or Middle Dutch) is loam, silt or clay mixed with water. Mud is usually formed after rainfall or near water sources. Ancient mud deposits hardened over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone (generally cal ...

for a full body cast. There are several types of clay. People tell how are the virtues of the waters and mud of these baths. Many of these come regularly for years and that people say that they have been definitely cured of diseases when they arrived to

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

or another place, feeling improvements in their health, just a week after starting treatment. Enrique Rueda, who was twice mayor of the district, tells about the people who visit the lakes and say that not only they're happy, but eternally grateful and cured.

Festivals and traditions

In February, the locals celebrate the Fig festival. Many surfers come to the city to surf at the big waves in Chilca's beaches. On August 15 there is the procession of Our Lady of Assumption of Mary. It's a festival where people gather to have fun in Chilca and venerate the

Virgin Virginity is a social construct that denotes the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. As it is not an objective term with an operational definition, social definitions of what constitutes virginity, or the lack thereof ...

References

INEI Perú

External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20130804224929/http://elsenoriodechilca.com/
Sitio Turistico del Distrital de Chilca (Cañete)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chilca, Canete Cities in Peru