AYACUCHO  , a

city and department of central Peru, formerly known as Guamanga or Huamanga, renamed from the small plain of Ayacucho (Quichua, " corner of death ") . This lies near the village of Quinua, in an elevated valley 11,600 ft. above sea-level, where a decisive battle was fought between General Sucre and the Spanish viceroy La Serna in 1824, which resulted in the defeat of the latter and the independence of Peru . The city of Ayacucho, capital of the department of that name and of the province of Guamanga, is situated on an elevated plateau, 8911 ft. above sea-level, between the western and central Cordilleras, and on the main road between Lima and Cuzco, 394 m. from the former by way of Jauja . Pop . (1896) 20,000 . It has an agreeable, temperate climate, is regularly built, and has considerable commercial importance . It is the seat of a bishopric and of a superior court of justice . It is distinguished for the number of its churches and conventual establishments, although the latter have been closed . The city was founded by Pizarro in 1539 and was known as Guamanga down to 1825 . It has been the scene of many notable events in the history of Peru . The department of AYACUCHO extends across the great plateau of central Peru, between the departments of Huancavelica and Apurimac, with Cuzco on the E. and Ica on the W . Area, 18,185 sq. m.; pop .

(1896) 302,469 . It is divided into six provinces, and covers a broken, mountainous region, partially barren in its higher elevations but traversed by deep, warm, fertile valleys . It formed a

part of the original home of the Incas and once sustained a large population . It produces Indian corn and other cereals and potatoes in the colder regions, and tropical fruits, sweet potatoes and mandioca (Jatropha manihot, L.) in the low tropical valleys . It is also an important mining region, having a large number of silver mines in operation . Its name was changed from Guamanga to Ayacucho by a decree of 1825 .