This is an important Inca city built on top of the capital of their vanquished foes the Chanca. The Chanca controlled this region until 1438, when they lost a final battle to the Inca. You can see the battle reenacted every June 18-19 in Andahuaylas. The Inca construction has been attributed to the Inca Pachacutec (who defeated the Chanca) and to the Incas Tupac Yupanqui and Huayna Capac (1400 - 1500 CE).

Vilca means sacred in Quechua and huamán is a falcon, like Sacsayhuamán in Cusco. It’s pronounced vil-kas-wa-mahn. There is an important Sun Temple at the site, which was an administrative center and important part of the Qhapaq Ñan.

There are two important sites in this town. One is the Inca temples of the sun and moon, which the Spanish built a church on top of. The other site is an ancient four-tiered pyramid, called an ushnu, only a couple blocks away.