Situated on the Upper Huallaga, northwest on the road from Junín, the city of Huánuco serves as the capital of the Huánuco Department. The bustling city is a crowd of fast-food joints, hotels, and bars, which often overshadow Huánuco’s vibrant local markets and more charming colonial buildings. Despite the modern, slightly drab trappings, the city's origins can be traced back to 2,000 BC when the Kotosh people ruled the surrounding lands. In fact, Huánuco’s pride and joy (and not surprisingly most popular site) are the Kotosh Temples, located five kilometers from town. Dating back approximately 4,000 years, these structures are some of the oldest in Peru.