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As the heart of the once mighty Inca
Empire - The magnetic city of Cusco
About Cusco
The origins of Cusco get lost in the night of times. Archaeological excavations
made us know that primitive residents inhabited the valley of Cusco (except for
its bottom, then marshy) near three millenniums ago.
Toward the XII century, Manco Cápac
and his sister-wife Mama Ocllo emerged from the waters of the
Lake Titicaca, semi Gods daughter and son of Inti (the god
Sun), with the mission of the foundation of a new Kingdom that would improve the
conditions of life of the towns. Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo would have to walk
until finding a place in the earth where the great gold scepter that Manco Cápac
had would submerge, they walked to the north and they arrived to Pacárec Tampu
(Pacaritambo) where rested in a small cave; to the dawn they continued to the
north arriving to the hill Huanacaure and there the scepter submerged, and there
he founded the city of Cusco (Quechua Language: the navel of the world).
Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo left in people's
search, and formed the Hanan Cusco. They taught them how to work the earth and
how to sow; they made and used agricultural tools, artificial irrigation
systems, to build and to live in towns.
Inhabitants of other districts arrived when got
informed of the events, creating this way the
Tahuantisuyo, the great empire of the Incas, which limits, after 14
successors of real lineage, reached Colombia by the north, and northern Chile
and Argentina by the south; as capital Cusco reached its maximum splendor.
It is known little more than names and legends
from the first Incas kings, from Pachacútec (1448-1471) more information has
gotten, the great conqueror who transformed Cusco, reconstructing it. The
Spaniards arrived and occupied the city in 1533, when Huáscar (Pachacútec's
grandson) was the Inca king.
In this time Cusco was a city of admirable
architecture made in stone with wide plazas, big temples and palaces decorated
with abundant gold pieces. Many of these colossal constructions have been built
for the eternity.
The Spanish Cusco has like base the foundations
of the Inca walls and the lines of its streets, numerous buildings and churches
were built, and a flourishing art school was founded (XVII century - XVIII),
represented by numerous painters and authors (paintings of the "Escuela
Cusqueña", pulpit of San Blas, Custody of the Cathedral and the Iglesia de
la Merced, etc.)
The cultural coalition Andean-Hispanic, has
determined very special characteristics in its architecture and population, city
of incomparable beauty in the world, which conserves with pride their customs
and traditions, at the same time progressively is incorporated to the modernity.
To this is added the privileged geographical scenery, of beautiful landscapes,
in which has been developed.
Cusco Guide
Machu
Picchu: Is a mystical place, a monument to divinity, where people can
feel that they are a creation of God. The high sense of spirituality that
inhabits this place seems to transport its visitors to a place where everything
"in an unimaginable way" is possible. It is a place where strange forces of
nature allow the individuals to reach an incomparable cosmic state, a state that
can only be experimented in Machu Picchu. It is one of the most popular
archaeological sites of the world, and therefore, the most visited attraction in
Peru.
Historical Center of Cusco: To go over the historical center of Cusco,
is walking by the city that was traced and designed by the Incas, it is like
going for a walk by colonial buildings built on the base of the old real palaces
of the Incas, is the coalition of two architectural styles that make it unique
in the world, it is the opportunity to appreciate architectural and art jewels
that contain their centennial or millennial walls. Museums, churches, Inca
places, popular markets, handcrafts artisans, San Blas, and more.
Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman: 4 Km north of Cusco. It embraces
3,000 hectares approximately, where a rich Andean flora and extraordinary Inca
and Pre-Inca archaeological monuments as Sacsayhuaman, Kencco (or Qenqo),
Puca Pucará and Tambomachay.
Valle Sagrado de los Incas (The Sacred Valley): 15 Km north of Cusco.
Called this way to the end of the extensive valley of Urubamba, where the
agricultural cattlemen and beautiful towns were concentrated since Inca times.
The valley is characterized to have very special conditions, as an excellent
climate, very fertile lands and the waters of the sacred river of the Inca,
Valle Sagrado is embraced between the towns of Písac and Ollantaytambo, it has
wonderful landscapes where its inhabitants, native of the Quechua ethnic,
conserve many customs and ancestral rites.
Around Cusco: You can visit amazing scenarios near to Cusco city,
archaeological places, beautiful towns and nature landscapes, as Chinchero,
Maras, Moray, Tipon, Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, enjoy their traditions and
folklore.
Inca Trail:
Part of the 23,000 kilometers (approximately 14,000 miles) of roads built by the
Incas in South America, this is Peru's most famous trekking route and possibly
one of the most spectacular in the Americas. Every year; some 25,000 hikers from
around the world walk along the extraordinary 43 kilometers of this stone-paved
road built by the Incas leading to the unassailable citadel of Machu Picchu
located in the depth of the Cusco jungle.
Also called Cuzco
and Qosqo
Cusco is the most visited tourist destination in
Peru, and the wealthy attractiveness in the city and its areas around, as well
as "Ciudad Perdida de los Incas" (Lost City of the Incas),
Machu
Picchu, the new 7 wonders of the World, transforms it into one of the main
tourist attractiveness of the world, offering an excellent quality of tourist
services.
We recommend you visit combined
Arequipa,
Puno
and or
Tambopata
with Cusco
Cusco
Pictures - Cusco Photo Gallery
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