Intiorko Hill

Intiorko Hill is located at Ciudad Nueva District in Tacna Department, located in southern Peru. At 780 metres above sea level, the stone used for the construction of the Tacna Cathedral, the Parabolic Arch and the Tacna Prefecture comes from the hill.

On September 19, 1901, the Crypt of the Heroes was erected by the Chilean administration to honour their dead during the War of the Pacific.

On the hill are the Santísima Cruz Del Cerro Intiorko chapel, which is a place of pilgrimage during Holy Week, as well as the Alto de la Alianza Monumental Complex on its plateau, remembering the eponymous battle that occurred on May 26, 1880.

Geography
The Intiorko hill has old rock falls at its bottom, where homes have also been built. On the slopes of the hill, you can see suspended blocks that could give way to a seismic movement. In order to prevent possible landslides, the inhabitants of the area have built retaining walls and other structures without technical advice, which represents risks "constructed" by the population themselves.

These findings highlight the importance of conducting geological assessments in risk areas, such as in Intiorko, to identify and mitigate existing geological hazards. Recommendations derived from a 2017 study could include additional security measures, technical advice for the construction of containment structures and raising public awareness about the risks associated with locating homes in geologically unstable areas.

Tuff
In the south of Peru there is a large number of deposits of pyroclastic flows that cover large tubes due to the effect of pressure and temperature. The pyroclastic flows devitrify and weld together and spread during the volcanic action, forming a kind of roots that extend along the Intiorko hill, with a special pinkish color due to its proximity to the coast and the summer heat, it is a very special and unusual type of ashlar, but it was used for the construction of the main monuments of the city, such as the Basadre house, the Parabolic Arch, the Tacna Prefecture, the Cathedral, and the Zela House.