La Unión, Huánuco

La Unión is a town in central Peru, capital of the province Dos de Mayo in the region Huánuco. The city lies over the Vizcarra River and is divided between two of the nine districts of the province, La Unión on the right bank and Ripán on the left bank. It has a regional hospital. Close to the city, over a flat highland or meseta (12,000 feet over sea level) is the old famed Inca city called Wanuku Pampa, Wanuku Marka or Wanuku Viejo. The most important festival is by the end of July and it is called "La Fiesta del Sol".

During the Inca period, the town saw the relocation of the mitmakuna, later referred to as mitimaes by the Spanish, under the state’s policy of population resettlement. Named Aguamiro (Quechua for textile factory) for its association with textiles, these relocated groups became part of the resource and production network of the provincial capital of Wanuko. This focus on textiles persisted into the colonial era, when the town became a center for obrajes.

After independence, the growth and conurbation of Aguamiro with Ripán (Quechua ripa, meaning small, with the possessive/affirming suffix -n) led to the city being renamed La Unión by law on February 5, 1875, symbolizing their union. However, Aguamiro and Ripán maintain administrative independence within their respective districts. Today, Aguamiro (La Unión) is the seat of government for the La Unión district, while Ripán serves as the capital of its own namesake district.