Ica

Ica (ē'kä) [key], city (1993 pop. 108,724), capital of Ica dept., SW Peru, on the Pan-American Highway. It is a commercial center for the cotton, wool, and wine produced in the region. There are several summer resorts nearby. Ica is also the archaeological name of the Chincha empire of ancient Peru, which had one of its major centers in the adjacent valley. The empire fell to the Inca in the 15th cent. The Spanish settled the city in 1563. In Ica is the shrine of Our Lord of Luren, the site of colorful pilgrimages. The city has twice been leveled by earthquakes. It has a museum and a university.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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