HISTORY OF CUSCO
Cusco, the historical capital of Peru, founded around the 11th and 12th centuries AD by the Inca Manco Cápac, was the religious and administrative capital of the Inca empire, which encompassed much of what is now Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chili.
On March 23, 1534, Francisco Pizarro founded a Spanish city on the city of Cusco, which was built on the Inca foundations. Cusco is, therefore, a typical example of fusion and cultural syncretism, having inherited architectural monuments and works of art of incalculable value.
The Inca society was an admirable example of political-social organization, mastered great knowledge in architecture, hydraulic engineering, medicine and agriculture.
Cusco was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.
It is located at 3400 meters above sea level, it has a temperate and dry climate, the average temperature is 11 ºC (max 17 ºC and minimum -2ºC), the summer months are from April to October (Andean summer) and the rainy months They are from November to March.
There are three access routes to get to Cusco. The land route Lima – Arequipa – Cusco with a distance of 1494 km; by air there are daily flights from Lima with a duration of approximately 1 hour; the last form of access is through the railway, there is the train service from Puno, Juliaca, Arequipa, Cusco with a distance of 735 km.
Among the tourist places within the city of Cusco and surroundings we have: The Plaza de Armas; the Cathedral built on the base of the old Suntur Wasi temple (House of God); the neighborhood of the San Blas Artisans, Koricancha (Gold Enclosure), was the main religious building of the Incas dedicated to the cult of the sun; Sacsaywaman, Cyclopean Fortress from the Inca era on three superimposed platforms that have an average length of 360 m; Kenko, Puca Pucará, Tambomachay, etc.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACES IN CUSCO
City built on the basis of stones in the mid-fifteenth century, it is located 112 km from the city of Cusco, it was discovered by the North American Hiram Bingham in 1911; built in a place covered with vegetation between the mountains of Machu Picchu (old mountain) and Huayna Picchu (young mountain) and bordered by the Urubamba or Vilcanota river (jungle edge with abundant flora and fauna).
It is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet, as it is considered a masterpiece of both archeology and engineering at the same time, it includes military-type constructions, squares, temples and terraces.
Machu Picchu was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.
On July 7, 2007 Machu Picchu was chosen as one of the new wonders of the world in a ceremony held in Lisbon, Portugal.
System of roads built during the Inca Empire, which is built with carved granite stones that are found along the road, along the road there are several ruins of different fortifications that visually dominate all the valleys, as an ideal complement, You will find an exuberant nature, with unique landscapes, hundreds of species of orchids and multicolored birds. At the end of this ancient road, you will reach Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas.
It is one of the most impressive tourist destinations in Peru, it is made up of numerous rivers that descend through ravines and small valleys; It has numerous archaeological monuments and indigenous peoples.
This valley was highly appreciated by the Incas due to its special geographical and climatic qualities. It was one of the main points of agricultural production.
Among the Inca places that are in the sacred valley we have: Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Maras, Chincheros, etc.
Resultados de traducción
The Koricancha or temple of the sun was one of the most revered and sacred precincts of the Inca empire, where they worshiped their main God, the Inti (Sun). Garcilaso de la Vega and Cieza de León describe it as the “gold-plated” temple, since its interior was decorated with representations of the main Inca deities, as well as life-size animals and plants, made of gold and silver.
Although the exact date on which its construction began is not known, it is presumed that this building had been there since the time of the Ayamarcas and that the Inca Pachacutec was in charge of rebuilding it after his victory over the Chancas in 1438.
This building evidences the high level of engineering that the Incas managed to achieve; its walls were built based on large blocks of solid rock, even larger than those found in Machu Picchu, fitted with absolute precision.
In 1533, the temple was looted by the Spanish, who ended up stripping it of all the divinities and representations that decorated it. After the invasion, and on the foundations of the Qoricancha, the temple of Santo Domingo was built, and part of its remains can still be seen today.
