Location and Geography: The city of Cusco is the capital of the department of Cusco. It is located in the southern sierra of Peru. Declared a Patrimony of Humanity in 1983 by UNESCO, it was the capital of the Inca Empire and is considered the historical capital of Peru.
It is bordered to the north by Ucayali, to the south by Arequipa and Puno, to the east by Madre de Dios and Puno and to the west by Arequipa, Apurimac, Ayacucho and Junin.
The department of Cusco is a kind of geographical hinge, a door between the mountainous sierra, the Amazon jungle and the extensive Andean high plateau.
This creates a landscape of strong contrasts and enormous environmental diversity. Its grand mountains are combined with high plateaus, undulating fields, deep valleys and plains.
Altitude: City of Cusco: 3399m
Machu Picchu: 2400m
Urubamba Valley: 2850m
Access Ways: Overland from: Lima-Arequipa-Cusco: 1,650 km (26 hours by car);
Lima-Nasca-Puquio-Abancay-Cusco: 1,131 km (20 hours by car)
Puno-Cusco: 389 km (7 hours by car)
By Air: Regular flights from Lima (1 hour) and from Arequipa (30 minutes) to the city of Cusco.
Train: Regular service: Puno-Cusco: 384 km (10 hours)
History:
Solely considering its location as the capital of the Inca Empire (mid XIII century), Cusco appears to be the oldest inhabited city in the Americas. The attention which it had at its highpoint allowed it to become the principal cultural center and the axis of religious worship.
The original design of the city is attributed to be a work of Pachacutec. The layout of ancient Cusco had the outline in the shape of a puma, with the central plaza in the position of the chest of the animal. The cat's head is found on the hill where the Sacsayhuaman fortress is located. The Incas organized their administrative division in a way which the boundaries of the four imperial regions converged on the main plaza in Cusco.
Culture and Traditions:
We will talk about the culture and traditions because to visit the city of Cusco is to find yourself living with the same history, reflected in every street, church, archaeological complex, mansion, etc.
Cusco was the center of the Sun worship, seat of the principal temple of the solar religion, the Koricancha (in Spanish). It had the principal Aqllawasi, or house of those chosen by the sun, and the seat of the mortuary clans of the various dead emperors or Panakas. It was also the habitual place of residence for the Inca ruler, a living god, and of the highest state clergy, represented by the Willka Umu or high priest. Cusco is the center of the great multitudinous ceremonies and imperial festivals such as the Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun), which still takes place during the southern winter solstice - the solar new year - which is celebrated every June 24th in the Sacsayhuaman esplanade.
ATTRACTIONS - CUSCO CIRCUIT OF THE CITY, ONE CAN VISIT:
Plaza de Armas of the City of Cusco:
It was an important ceremonial place in which the Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun, was celebrated every year. It was also the place where Francisco Pizarro proclaimed his conquest of Cusco. With the arrival of the Spanish, the plaza was transformed; they built stone arcs and put up the buildings that surround it to this day.
Cathedral of the City of Cusco:
Its construction took two steps: first, they built the Chapel of Triumph on top of the old temple of Suntar Wasi (House of God); later they raised the Cathedral on top of the palace of Inca Wiracocha. The façade and the interior are dominated by the renaissance style. The interior is richly decorated with cedar engravings. The beauty of its choir and pulpit stand out.
Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Complex:
2 km northeast of the city of Cusco. The complex encompasses 33 archaeological sites, the best known being the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. It would have truly been a construction of religious character, but because of its location and style the Spanish and historiographers considered it a military building. Every June 24th it is the stage of Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun.
Qenqo Archaeological Complex:
3 km northeast of the city of Cusco. It dates to the year 1500 AD. Qenqo is considered a sacred place where they held ceremonies to honor the Sun, the Moon and the stars.
Puca Pucara Archaeological Complex:
7 km northeast of the city of Cusco. The complex includes numerous compounds, interior plazas, aqueducts and paths; it also served as a tambo, or rest site and lodging.
Tambomachay Archaeological Complex:
7.5 km north east of the city of Cusco. Tambomachay completed an important religious function, supplicating for water and the regeneration of the earth. It is calculated that it was constructed around the year 1500 AD.
Sacred Valley of the Incas:
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is found between the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo: Pisac: This town is famous for its astronomical observatory. Pisac is a mestizo town constructed over indigenous ruins by the Viceroy Francisco de Toledo. In Pisac, one can attend a mass in Quechua with the indigenous townspeople and varavocs, or regional mayors. One can also observe how the Inca agronomists solved the problem of planting on the slopes of the hills.
The archaeological area of Ollantaytambo is another monumental work of Incan architecture. It was constructed on top of two mountains in a strategic place which dominates the whole valley. It constituted a military, religious, administrative and agricultural complex.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS:
San Blas Neighborhood:
4 blocks from the Plaza de Armas. It is one of the most picturesque in Cusco. It is characterized by its narrow cobbled streets and its beautiful colonial style houses. It is known as the Barrio de los Artesanos (Artisan's District).
Archiepiscopal Palace and the twelve-sided stone:
The building is a viceroy construction with Arabic influence which was put up on top of the palace of Inca Roca. It now houses the Museum of Religious Art. In the street Hatunrumiyoc, one can appreciate an old Inca wall which was part of the palace of Inca Roca and which is an applaudable sample of Inca work in cutting and placing each stone. In this wall, note the "Twelve-Sided Stone", famous for the perfect work and exactness of its corners.
IN THE PROVINCE OF QUISPICANCHIS:
Pikillacta:
30 km south of the city of Cusco, a pre-Incan city whose peak was between the years 800 and 1100 AD. It constituted the door of entry to the Sacred City of the Incas. It displays grand, straight streets and large rectangular blocks of buildings. It is surrounded by walls and spheroid buildings in the western area.
Temple of Andahuaylillas:
36 km south of the city of Cusco. Known as the "Sistine Chapel of the Americas", it dates to 1580 and shows a simple facade which contrasts with its rich baroque interior, expressed in the golden alters, murals, paintings and polychromatic ceilings.
Tipon Archaeological Complex:
25 km southeast of the city of Cusco, at 3316m. It is accessed by the paved Cusco-Puno road, taking a paved detour at Km. 20.5.
According to legend, Tipon is one of the royal gardens that Wiracocha ordered to be built. It is made up of a dozen terraces flanked by perfectly cut stone walls and enormous sidewalks, canals and ornamental waterfalls which, along with the local flora, offer the visitor an impressive landscape.
PROVINCE OF URUBAMBA:
City of Urubamba(2871m):
78 km north east of the city of Cusco towards Pisac. Another route is by the road to Chinchero at 57 km. Located in the heart of the Sacred Valley, it was a very important agricultural center in pre-Hispanic times. Today its economy is based in agriculture and tourism, as it is one of the most welcoming areas in the valley.
Population of Chinchero (3772m):
28 km northeast of the city of Cusco. Of interest is the church constructed during the colonial years in which one can observe the beautiful canvases of the Cusco School. There is a fair on Sundays where vendors and country folk exchange their products, using the barter system. There are important archaeological remains in the area.
Population of Maras:
48 km northeast of the city of Cusco. It was an important town during the Viceroy, as such the church and mansions which are still conserved show the shields of the indigenous nobility in their facades. These days, the principal economic activity is agriculture.
Population of Yucay:
68 km north of the city of Cusco. Since ancient times, it was considered an important hydraulic and agricultural center. Here one can see the Palace of the Inca Manco Sayri Tupac.
Salineras of Maras:
10 km from the town of Maras. Also called the Saltworks of Maras. They are salt mines whose exploitation is as old as Tahuantinsuyo. The locals channel the salt water which emanates from the ground into pools. It then evaporates due to the sun, leaving a layer of salt which is later treated for sale in the local market. The view of about three thousand pools is spectacular. The locals show visitors their ancestral techniques and allow them to be involved in the harvesting.
Moray Archaeological Group:
9 km northeast of the city of Maras, it is made up of 4 galleries. The biggest gallery had a depth of 45m and the average height of the platforms is 1.8m. It is thought that the site was an important center for agricultural experimentation during the Inca era.
Ollantaytambo Archaeological Group:
97 km northeast of the city of Cusco. It was built during the Inca era as a fortified area which included a temple, platforms and an urban sector. Ollantaytambo was an important administrative centre which probably fulfilled a military function, such as the walls and towers show. Likewise, one finds traces of ancient paths and aqueducts. The town of Ollantaytambo is called the "Modern Inca Town" because its citizens maintain the old habits and customs.
Weather: Summer is considered to be December to March; it reaches 16°C, it is cold at night and is rainy season.
Winter is from May to October. The climate is dry with an average temperature of 11°C.
When to Travel: June to October are the ideal months to visit Cusco. This takes into consideration that the temperature drops at night, skirting 10°C, but there are no torrential rains, such as the case from December to April.
