CUZCO PERU travel and Tour

LOCATION, EXTENSION AND POPULATION

The department of Cuzco is located in the south oriental region of the country, comprising part of the Sierra and the Jungle. At 3,360 m.a.s.l. (11,023 ft), it limits with Arequipa, Puno, Apurímac, Junín, Ucayali and Madre de Dios. In the high regions the mornings are mild and the nights are cool. There are two seasons, dry and humid. The rainy months are December through March. In the Sierra the annual average temperature is 11°C (52°F), while in the Jungle is above 25°C (77°F).

Cuzco has an extension of 76,329 km² (29,470 sq ml) and a population of over 1'000,000 people.

"View of the Plaza de Armas of Cusco (Main Square)"

"Live Images of Cusco"

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Located in the southeastern part of the Andes, Cuzco is Peru’s main tourist destination and one of the most important in the Americas. Known by the Incas as the “home of gods”, Cuzco became the capital of one of the largest pre-Columbian empires: the Tahuantinsuyo. Its name in Quechua, Qosqo means “Navel of the world”, which derives from when the city served as a hub for a vast network of roads interconnecting virtually the whole of South America, from the southern part of presentday Colombia to the northern part of what is now Argentina.
Furthermore, Cuzco is also both a mestizo and colonial city, with splendid churches and manors built on foundations of elaborately carved stone. The local cuisine is also something for the traveler to look forward to, including superb combinations of typical Andean foods, such as corn, potatoes and chili pepper, with pork and mutton introduced by the Spanish. With its vast landscapes, rich history and fascinating geography, Cuzco is, without a doubt, something all travelers long to experience.

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Although it was settled centuries before the Incas arrived, it was only during the period of Inca control (1438-1532 AD) that the Huatanay River basin, upon which Cuzco is built, reached its peak as an administrative, religious and military center. The origins of the city are shrouded in myth and legends which tell the tale of how the Inca empire came into being.
One of the most popular myths, from the chronicles kept by the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, is that of a mythical couple, Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo, who emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca to found the city of Cuzco and teach its people how to cultivate the land. The city was divided into two sectors: an upper area, or Hanan, and a lowerlying area, or Hurin, references to both the geographical position of each area and the hierarchical position of their inhabitants. Moreover, it is also said that the outline of the first city had the shape of a puma with a falcon’s head.

When the Spaniards arrived in 1533, many pre-Hispanic structures were destroyed or used as foundations for new structures, which included churches, convents and mansions built in Baroque or Renaissance styles. Since then, Cuzco has become one of the most representative expressions of mestizo culture anywhere in the Americas.

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The Cuzco region has two very distinct seasons. One of these is the rainy season, which runs from November to March with an average temperature of 12º Celsius. The dry season, which would be the recommended time to visit, is characterized by cold nights, sunny days and an average temperature of 9º Celsius. Due to the location of the city (3,250 masl), soroche, or altitude sickness, is something to be wary of. Rest and light food are recommended for the first day of your visit, and warm clothing is vital at night, as are sunscreen lotion and hats during the day.
Cuzco is easily accessible by air; commercial flights leave daily from Lima (55 minutes), Arequipa (30 min.) and Juliaca (30 min.). Access by road is also possible (1,050 km from Lima, 450 km from Arequipa). Attractions in the city The Main Square Known in Inca times as Huacaypata, or “the warriors’ square”, this was
the scene for many key events in Cuzco’s history: it was here that the conquistador Francisco Pizarro declared Cuzco 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 Cuzco’s first Cathedral, was built in 1539 on top of the palace of Inca Wiracocha.

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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.

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).

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 Cuzco– 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 Cuzco skyline.
Like the two churches mentioned above, it houses an impressive collection of canvas paintings from the Escuela Cuzqueña.

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 Cuzco 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 Cuzco, including Hilario Mendívil, Edilberto Mérida, Santiago Rojas and Maximiliana Palomino.

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.

* Important Notice: We recommend a minimum of 3 weeks to notice book the Inca Trail.

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