General Information

information cusco informacion util cuscoIs a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cusco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which is triple the figure of 20 years ago. Located on the eastern end of the Knot of Cusco, its altitude is around 3,400 m (11,200 ft).
Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca Empire and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 by UNESCO. It is a major tourist destination and receives almost a million visitors a year. It is designated as the Historical Capital of Peru by theConstitution of Peru.

Etymology

The aboriginal name of this city was Qosqo. Although it was used in Quechua, its origin has been found in the Aymaralanguage. The word itself originated on the phrase qusqu wanka ('Rock of the owl'), attending to the foundational myth of the Ayar Siblings. According to this leyend, Ayar Auca (Ayar Awqa) got wings and flew to the site of the future city and transformed into a rock to mark the possession of the land by his ayllu ('linage'). altura cusco
"¡Go fly over there (they say his wings were born), and by sitting down there take possession in the very seat where that milestone appears, because we'll then settle and live there". Ayar Auca, after hearing the words of his brother, rose on his wings and went to that place Manco Capac commanded him, he sat there and turned himself into stone and became a possession mark, which in the ancient language of this valley is called cozco, therefore this place remained with the name of Cozco until today.
The Spanish conquistadors adopted the local name, transliterating it into Spanish as Cuzco or less often Cozco. Cuzco was the standard spelling on official documents and chronicles at the colonial epoch. In 1976, the City Mayor of Cuzco approved an ordinance banning the traditional spelling and ordering the use of a new one, Cusco, in the municipalty publications. Nineteen years later, in 23 June 1990, the local authorities officialized a brand new spelling instead: Qosqo.
In English, both s and z are accepted, as there is no international "official" spelling. The Encyclopaedia Britannicauses "Cuzco".

History

Killke Culture

The Killke occupied the region from 900 to 1200, prior to the arrival of the Incas in the 13th century. Carbon-14 dating ofSacsayhuaman, the walled complex outside Cusco, had demonstrated that the Killke culture constructed the fortress about 1100. The Inca later expanded and occupied the complex in the 13th century and after. On 13 March 2008, archaeologistsdiscovered the ruins of an ancient temple, roadway and acqueduct system at Sacsayhuaman. This find plus the results of excavations in 2007, when another temple was found at the edge of the fortress, indicates religious as well as military use of the facility.

Inca History

temperatura en cuscoCusco was the capital of the Inca Empire (13th century-1532). Many believe that the city was planned as an effigy in the shape of a puma, a sacred animal Under the Inca, and the city had two sectors: the urin and hanan. Each were further divided to each encompass two of the four provinces, Chinchasuyu (NW), Antisuyu (NE), Qontisuyu (SW) and Collasuyu (SE). A road led from each of these quarters to the corresponding quarter of the empire. Each local leader was required to build a house in the city and live part of the year in Cusco, but only in the quarter that corresponded to the quarter of the empire in which he had territory. After the rule of Pachacuti, when an Inca died, his title went to one son and his property was given to a corporation controlled by his other relatives (the process was called split inheritance). Each title holder had to build a new house and add new lands to the empire, in order to own the land his family needed to maintain after his death.
According to Inca legend, the city was built by Sapa Inca Pachacuti, the man who transformed the Kingdom of Cusco from a sleepy city-state into the vast empire of Tahuantinsuyu. Archaeological evidence, however, points to a slower, more organic growth of the city beginning before Pachacuti. The city was constructed according to a definite plan, and two rivers were channeled around the city. Archaeologists such as Larry Coben have suggested the city plan was replicated at other sites throughout the empire.
The city fell to the sphere of Huáscar in the division of the empire after the death of Huayna Capac in 1527. It was captured by the generals of Atahualpa in April 1532 in the Battle of Quipaipan. Nineteen months later, Spanish explorers invaded the city.

Cusco After The Spanish Invasion

The first Spaniards arrived in the city on 15 November 1533. Francisco Pizarro officially arrived in Cusco on 23 March 1534, renaming it the "Very noble and great city of Cuzco". The many buildings constructed after the Hispanic invasion have a mixture of Spanish influence with Inca indigenous architecture, including the Santa Clara and San Blas neighborhoods. The Spanish destroyed many Inca buildings, temples and palaces. They used the remaining walls as bases for the construction of a new city. Cusco stands on layers of cultures, with the oldTawantinsuyu built on Killke structures, and the Spanish having replaced indigenous temples with Catholic churches, and palaces with mansions for the invaders.
Cusco was the center for the Spanish colonization and spread of Christianity in the Andean world. It became very prosperous thanks to agriculture, cattle raising, and mining, as well as the trade with Spain. The Spanish colonists constructed many churches and convents, as well as a cathedral, university and Archbishopric. Just as the Inca built on top of Killke structures, Spanish buildings were based on the massive stone walls built by the Inca.
A major earthquake on 21 May 1950 caused severe localized damage in Cusco. The Dominican Priory and Church of Santo Domingo, which were built on top of the impressive Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun), were among the colonial era buildings affected. The city's Inca architecture, however, withstood the earthquake. Many of the old Inca walls were at first thought to have been lost after the earthquake, but the granite retaining walls of the Qoricancha were exposed, as well as those of other ancient structures throughout the city. Restoration work at the Santo Domingo complex was conducted in such a way as to expose the Inca masonry formerly obscured by the super-structure without compromising the integrity of the colonial heritage. Cusco had also been the center of a major earthquake in 1650, and many of the buildings damaged in 1950 had been impacted by an earthquake only nine years previously.

Republican Era

After Peru declared its independence in 1821, Cusco maintained its importance within the administrative structure of the country. Upon independence, the government created the Department, maintaining authority over territory extending to the Brazilian border. Cusco was made capital of the department; subsequently it became the most important city in the south-eastern Andean region.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the city's urban sprawl spread to the neighboring districts of Santiago and Wanchaq.
In 1911, explorer Hiram Bingham used the city as a base for the expedition in which he rediscovered the ruins of Machu Picchu.

Present

A 1950 earthquake shook the city, causing the destruction of more than one third of the city's structures. Later, the city began to establish itself as a focal point for tourism and began to receive a greater number of tourists.
Since the 1990s, tourism increased, and the hotel sector subsequently expanded. Currently, Cusco is the most important tourist destination in Peru. The city's urban sprawl is still expanding, having extended to the San Sebastian and San Jerónimo districts.
Under the administration of Mayor Daniel Estrada Pérez, a staunch supporter of the Academia Mayor de la Lengua Quechua, between 1983 and 1995 the Quechua name Qosqo was officially adopted for the city.

Geography

The city of Cusco extends throughout the Huatanay river valley. Located on the eastern end of the Knot of Cusco, its altitude is around 3,300 m (10,800 ft). North to Cusco is the range of Cordillera Vilcabamba with 4–6000 m high mountains. The highest peak is Nevado Salcantay (6271 m) about 60 km (37.28 mi) northwest of Cusco.
Climate
Cusco has a subtropical highland climate, Its climate is generally dry and temperate, with two defined seasons. The dry season lasts from April through October, with abundant sunshine, and occasional nighttime freezes: July is the coolest month with an average of 9.6 °C (49.3 °F). The wet season lasts from November to March, with night frost less common: November averages 13.4 °C (56.1 °F). Although frost and hail are common, snow is virtually unheard of. The last snowfall was recorded in June 1911.

Food

As headquarters to the Inca Empire, Cusco was an important agricultural region. It was a natural reserve for thousands of native Peruvian species, including around 2,000 varieties ofpotato cultivated by the people. Recently many fusion and neo-Andean restaurants have developed in Cusco, in which the cuisine is prepared with modern techniques and incorporates a blend of traditional Andean and international ingredients.

Main Atractions

The Main Square

Known in Inca times as Huacaypata, or "the warriors' square", this was the scene for many key events in Cusco's history: it was here that the conquistador Francisco Pizarro declared Cusco under Spanish occupation; it was also here that Túpac Amaru I, leader of the indigenous resistance movement, was killed. The Main Square also hosted to the spectacular Inti Raymi, or festival of the Sun. With the arrival of the Spanish the plaza was fringed by beautiful stone arches which remain in place to this day. Across from the Main Square are the Cathedral and La Compañía church.

The Cathedral

Built between 1560 and 1664 out of large slabs of red granite taken from the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the Cathedral is one of the most imposing structures in the city. Its façade, built in Renaissance style, contrasts with the Baroque and silver of its lavish interior. It also houses important collections of gold and silver work of the colonial period, elaborately engraved wooden altars and a beautiful collection of oil on canvas paintings from the Escuela Cuzqueña.
On either side of the slabs of red granite are two small auxiliary chapels. One of these, the Del Triunfo church, in fact Cusco's first Cathedral, was built in 1539 on top of the palace of Inca Wiracocha.

La Compañía Church

Considered one of the finest examples of colonial Baroque architecture in the Americas, the construction of this church was begun by the Jesuits in 1576 on what was the Amarucancha, or palace of Inca Huayna Cápac. The spectacular façade made of carved stone and its great altar, elaborately covered in cedar and gold leaf and built on top of an underground chapel, are among its most notable features. The church also houses a large collection of sculptures and paintings by the most renowned artists from the Escuela Cuzqueña. The church is flanked by the Lourdes chapel and the ancient oratory of San Ignacio de Loyola.

La Merced Convent and Church

Built in the sixteenth century and rebuilt on numerous occasions as a result of earthquakes which have leveled the city, the convent possesses one of the most beautiful Baroque-Renaissance cloisters in all Peru, decorated with beautiful choir stalls built in the plateresque style, and numerous engravings. It also houses colonial paintings and a very distinctive piece: a tabernacle made of gold and precious stones measuring 1.3 m long and weighing 22 kg, studded with a giant mermaid-shaped pearl (the second-largest pearl in the world)

Koricancha And The Convent Of Santo Domingo

The convent was built on the spectacular Koricancha ("site of gold"), the most important temple dedicated to the worship of the Sun and whose walls were plated with sheets of gold. The convent was built on a foundation of smoothened stone structures -the most finely crafted in Cusco- taken from the Inca sanctuary.
The façade of the convent is an excellent example of Renaissance art and its distinctive spire, built in Baroque style, stands out over the thatched roofs of the Cusco skyline. Like the two churches mentioned above, it houses an impressive collection of canvas paintings from the Escuela Cuzqueña

San Blas Quarter

Also known as "the craftsmen's district"; San Blas is one of the most picturesque parts of the city, with its long, inclined narrow streets that zigzag across old estates, which were built with Inca stones, and its tranquil squares. The church of San Blas, built in 1563, is the oldest parish church in Cusco and has an impressive pulpit, considered to be the colonial period's most outstanding example of engraved wood. Furthermore this district, with one of the finest views of the city, is home to the workshops and stores of the most renowned craftsmen in Cusco, including Hilario Mendívil, Edilberto Mérida, Santiago Rojas and Maximiliana Palomino.

Hatun Rumiyoc Street

This is perhaps the best-known street in the city. One of its cut-stone walls, (which at present forms part of the Palace of the Archbishop) features the famous 12-cornered stone, which was once part of the ancient palace of Inca Roca, one of the rulers of Tahuantinsuyo or Incan Empire. This lively street is a gateway to the picturesque San Blas quarter.

Inka Museum

The Inca museum is the best museum in Cusco for those interested in the Incas. Housed in the ornate, 16th Century Spanish style Admiral's House, the building itself is worth the visit. The house first belonged to Admiral Francisco Aldrete Maldonado and was built, like much of Cusco, on Inca foundations. It sustained considerable damage in both the 1650 and 1950 earthquakes but has since been repaired and is now one of the most impressive colonial houses in Cusco.

The Inca museum focuses on the Incas from the rise of the Inca culture to the Conquest and its impact on Peruvian cultures. On display are ceramics, textiles, metal and gold work, jewelry, and mummies. Of particular interest is a collection of carved and painted wood queros (cups). In all there are some 450 pieces making it the largest collection of queros in the world.

Sacsay Huaman

Sacsayhuaman is the most significant ruin in the Cusco area and is also the closest to the city. It is possible to walk or drive to the site which is just outside the city on the road to Pisac.

Sacsayhuaman is thought to have been a fortress, with both military and religious significance. Cusco was designed in the shape of a puma, with Sacsayhuaman forming the pumas head. Three ramparts of zigzagging defense walls extend for almost 300 meters forming the teeth of the puma.

Although this is a huge site, what visits see here is only about 20% of the original complex. Up until the 1930s blocks from Sacsayhuaman were being hauled away to use for construction in Cusco. Most of the largest stones, which were more difficult to move, were left at the site.

Some of the largest stones measure over 8 meters high and weigh 361 tons. Despite the massive size of these stones, they are fitted together so perfectly, even engineers wonder at how the Incas managed such a feat.

Qenqo

Qenko, which means zigzag, is a small shrine 1 km past Sacsayhuaman. It is a large limestone rock outcrop with symbolic carvings and steps which lead to nowhere. Zigzagging channels, that Qenko is named for, are carved into the rock and were probably used for draining llama blood in ceremonial rituals.

Etchings of puma, llama, and condors can be seen at the top of the rock. Below are a series of caves and tunnels with altars cut into the stone. This is likely where mummies of lesser nobility were once kept.

Although Qenko is a smaller site, its proximity to Sacsayhuaman makes it a convenient place to visit and it is worth the stop.

Pukapukara

Puca Pucara, across the road from Tambo Machay, is the least significant site in the Cusco area and perhaps the least impressive as well. Puca Pucara means "red fort" but was more likely a storage area, hunting lodge, or stopping area for travelers rather than a fort. It is supposed to look pink in some lights, which contributed to the name. The site consists of a number of rooms, waterways and aqueducts enclosed in a wall. The lower level has a number of chambers. The upper level offers some great views over the Cusco Valley and glaciers to the south.

Tambo Machay

Tombo Machay, 7 km northeast of Cusco, is believed to have been built around 1500 AD.

This site, sometimes referred to as Inca's Bath or El Baño del Inca, is thought to have been used for religious functions. Some theories suggest Tombo Machay was involved in an Inca water cult. Fountains or waterfalls fed by spring water were used to channel water to a ceremonial stone bath. The fountains are still functional at this well preserved site. Above the baths is an Inca wall.

Sacred Valley

The Urubamba Valley, also known as the Sacred Valley or El Valle Sagrado, lies to the north of Cusco. By car the valley is reached by driving up over a pass and down to the sacred Valley, which is 600m lower than Cusco.

The Sacred Valley is a fertile area, once inhabited by the Incas. Inca ruins are prevalent throughout the valley, with the two grandest sites at Pisac and Ollantaytambo. The Sacred Valley of today is home to a number of typical Andean villages. This is a good place to see villagers going about everyday life in the Andes.

Highlights in the Sacred Valley include the Pisac Market and Pisac Ruins, the Inca sites of Moray and Salinas, and the beautiful town and ruins of Ollantaytambo.

For those arriving from Lima or other lower elevation areas, the Sacred Valley is a nice place to start acclimatizing. It is significantly lower than Cusco and fewer people experience altitude sickness here than in Cusco.

Pisac Ruins

On the hillside high above and directly behind the town of Pisac are the Pisac Ruins. These ruins, along with those at Ollantaytambo are the most important in the Sacred Valley.

The Pisac Ruins are famous for their agricultural terracing which is cut into the mountainside. The terraces can be seen from across the valley and many points on the valley floor below. Walking paths above the terraced walls offer incredible views over the site and the valley below. At the top is a ceremonial center with temples and baths.

You can walk up to the site from the town of Pisac, although this is quite a hike. Alternatively, you can have a car drop you at the top of the Pisac Ruins and the driver will meet you later at a parking area on a lower level.

Pisac market:

The weekly Pisac Market is held on Sundays with smaller market days on Thursdays and Tuesdays. However, there are always some sellers with goods on display in the main plaza, and if you arrive on a non-market day it is still worth checking out. The market can actually be more enjoyable on these days because there are not hordes of people around and it is easier to bargain.

The quality of the goods at the Pisac Market is medium to low. Compared to the same goods which are sold in Cusco, they are usually a better price here. It's also a convenient shopping area, with a large variety of items.

The Pisac Market is designed to accommodate both locals and tourists. Some areas sell crafts, blankets, clothing, and souvenirs which are marketed towards tourists, while other areas sell meats and produce aimed at the locals. Traditionally dressed locals wander through the market alongside foreigners. Some women who dress in their "finest" traditional clothes, specifically for the tourists, will ask for money to have their picture taken. These women are easy to spot, dressed in their best and carrying a baby sheep or other small animal in one arm while holding the hand of a colorfully dressed child.

Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo is at the eastern end of the Sacred Valley. The valley is narrower here than at Urubamba or Pisac, with the mountains closer on each side, making for a more dramatic setting.

Nestled at the foot of an ancient Inca site, the small town of Ollantaytambo, population 2,000, is the most beautiful town in the Sacred Valley. The cobble stone streets and main plaza give the place an incredible feel. The town is set higher up from the main highway, and built on uneven ground. Stone stairways are beautifully framed by stone arches.

Ollantaytambo is also well set up for visitors, with many restaurants and outdoor patios. It is easy to spend a day or more here, with a half day spent touring the ruins and the rest of the day spent exploring the town and soaking up the atmosphere.

Chinchero

Located much higher than the rest of the Sacred Valley and Cusco, the small town of Chinchero is at an elevation of 3,800m / 12,500ft, and provides great views of the surrounding mountains. The main attraction in Chinchero is the Sunday Market, which draws a large crowd, including tour groups. If you are not there on market day there are a number of other attractions worth checking out. Some of these include the town's Plaza de Armas, an adobe colonial church built on top of Inca foundations, and some Inca terracing in the surrounding area. In the Plaza de Armas is an Inca Wall with the traditional Inca signature of trapezoidal niches.

Moray

Moray, just outside the town of Moras, is a fabulous but lesser visited Inca Site. Circular terracing, which at first glance looks like a huge amphitheatre, forms a giant bowl. There are actually two such bowls at Moray, one of which is much larger and more restored than the other.

Stone stairs built into the terrace walls allow visitors to walk down to the very bottom level. From here the upward view is of all encompassing, surrounding stone walls and the sky above.

The different levels of terracing each have their own microclimate which the Incas used to their advantage. They were thought to have used Moray as an area for testing the optimal growing conditions for their crops. With this information the Incas could determine which areas were best for growing crops and ultimately where they should settle.

Moray is not part of the usual Sacred Valley circuit but makes a good half-day trip from Urubamba. Due to its proximity to the Salinas these two sites are best visited together.

Tipon

Tipón is said to be a royal garden commissioned by Wiracocha. It is one of the most elaborate examples of agricultural terracing created by the Incas. These tall terraces which run up the narrow valley are irrigated by an aqueduct from Pachatusan, the mountain above the site.

In addition to the terracing there are also some other structures at Tipón, including baths, a temple complex, canals and aqueducts.

Tipon is definitely one of the lesser visited sites in the Cusco area but it is equally as impressive as those in the Sacred Valley. The Tipon Archeological Complex is located 24km southeast of Cusco

Pikillacta

Pikillacta is the only pre-Inca site in the Cusco area. This adobe complex was built around 700 to 900 AD by the Huari. Pikillacta is one of the less impressive archeological sites near Cusco but draws some attention due to the fact that it is included in the Cusco Tourist Pass. If you are in the area, there is a small Inca site just a short walk from Pikillacta, known as Rumicolca, a travel checkpoint for the Incas.