Cajamarca, city, northern Peru, lying at 9,022 feet (2,750 metres) above sea level on the Cajamarca River.
An ancient Inca city, it was the site of the Battle of Cajamarca in 1532, which resulted in the capture, ransom, and eventual execution of the Inca emperor Atahuallpa by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro. The settlement languished until 1802, when it was raised to the status of a city because of its proximity to newly discovered silver mines at Hualgayoc.
Cajamarca has several colonial buildings (including a cathedral and the San Francisco Belén church), and it is the site of a National Technical University (1962). Nearby are thermal springs. Cajamarca is the chief trade center in the northern Andes. Its economy is based on mining, agriculture, and manufacturing; tourism is also important.