- For the cactus species formerly in genus "Arequipa", see Oreocereus and Matucana.
Arequipa is the most important city of southern Peru and the nation's second-largest city. It is the capital of the Arequipa region. The city stands at the foot of the snow-capped volcano El Misti, in the sierra. Arequipa has many fine colonial-era Spanish buildings built of sillar, a pearly white volcanic rock used extensively in the construction of the city, from which it gets its nickname La Ciudad Blanca ("the white city"). The city is located at an altitude of 2,380 meters (7740 feet) above sea level, in the Peruvian Andes.
Archaeological findings indicate the fertile valley in which Arequipa is situated has been occupied back to 5000 – 6000 BCE. In the 15th century, the region, then occupied by Aymara Indians, was conquered by the Inca and served as an important supplier of agrarian products to Tahuantinsuyu. The modern city of Arequipa was founded on 15 August, 1540, by Garci Manuel de Carbajal, an emissary of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro. The city's name comes from the Quechua phrase "Ari, quepay" which means "Yes, stay".
Arequipa remained relatively isolated during colonial and early republican times, but that changed in 1870 when a railroad to the coastal port of Tacna was inaugurated, opening trade via the Pacific Ocean.
Arequipa served as a bastion of nationalism during Peru's struggle for independence in the early 19th century. Later, it served as a rallying point during the War of the Pacific (1879 – 1883) with Chile.
It is the second largest city in Peru. Very influenced by both Andalusian and Spanish Colonial ideas and architecture, such as the Santa Catalina Monastery, the Goyeneche Palace and the Casa del Moral. Arequipa has many valuable archaeological and touristy resources including the Cotahuasi Valley, which has a canyon that is the deepest one in the world.
UNESCO has declared the historical center of Arequipa a World Heritage Site.
On 23 June, 2001, Arequipa was badly damaged by an earthquake of 7.9 on the Richter scale.
In June 2002, Arequipa was completely paralyzed for a week by strikes and riots in protest of the privatization of two regional electricity-generating plants. The demonstrations were seen as a manifestation of increasing anti-globalization sentiments in South America.
Famous Arequipeños
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