Cuzco

Cuzco or Cusco (of the Quechua “Qusqu”, which means navel of the World ) is a city of the South-east of the Peru in the middle of the Andes. It is the capital of the department of Cuzco.

Cuzco is a town of altitude (~ 3  400  m) of a moderated size, with approximately 300  000 inhabitants. Cuzco was the capital of Incas and was a long time a crossroads on the economic axis transandin but fell asleep when the marketing activity turned to Lima.

Cuzco has an airport ( International airport Alejandro Velasco Astete , code AITA: CUZ).

History and archeology of Cuzco

Cuzco was the capital of the empire INCA (Tawantinsuyu).

The legend wants that the city was founded at the 11th century or the 12th century by Manco Capac and Mama Oqllo after their “birth” in the Lac Titicaca. Before the arrival of the Conquistadores, the city was divided in four districts, occupied by the INCA S and of the nationals of the tribes of their empire. The principal monuments dated from the INCA Pachacutec.

One can still admire the original walls incas in certain streets of the city or even the Temple of the Sun, Qorikancha, revealed again in the world after the earthquake of 1950. Indeed on the foundations of this temple had been built the Couvent San Domingo, strongly damaged by the seism.

The Spanish set up there a Cathédrale at the 16th century, after having destroyed a good part of the city (1534)

The city lost of its importance to the profit of Arequipa, but the discovery of the Machu Picchu in 1911 started again its rise with the profit of the Tourisme. One can find good number of guides indeed there and of excursions towards the Machu Picchu and the valley crowned around the Plaza de Armas .

Around Cuzco

  • the fortress of Sacsayhuamán (15th century). This site located at two kilometers with the top of Cuzco is impressive by its three enormous enormous made stone walls assembled in the purest INCA style: without mortar and with a perfect adjustment. Certain stones make nearly 6 m in height for almost as much broad. On this site takes place every year the festival of Inti Raimi, festival of the sun to the INCA mode. It gathers thousands of tourists; it is the second festival of South America.

  • the site of Raqchi
  • the site of Pisac

The Declaration of Cuzco

December 8th, 2004 all 12 countries of South America signed the Declaration of Cuzco aiming at creating the South American Communauté of nations on the model of the European Union.

See too

Related articles

External bonds

  • Cuzco Travels in the Valley Crowned of Incas
  • Informations on Cuzco for the travellers

Simple: Cusco

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