Kuelap or Cuélap is an important pre-Inca archaeological site located in the northeastern Andes of Peru, in the Luya Province, it was built by the Chachapoyas archaeological culture.
It forms a large stone architectural ensemble characterized by its monumental condition, with a large artificial platform, oriented from south to north, set on the ridge of calcareous rock at the top of Cerro Barreta (at 3000 meters above sea level). The platform extends over almost 600 meters and has a perimeter wall that reaches 19 meters in height at some points.
It is estimated that its construction must have begun around the 11th century, coinciding with the flourishing period of the Chachapoyas culture, and its occupation must have culminated towards the middle of the 16th century. Its colossal walls and its complex interior architecture are evidence of its function as a well-organized population complex, which includes administrative and religious precincts, ceremonial spaces and permanent residence.
