Cusco

Tucked high away in the Peruvian Andes is Cusco, el ombligo del mundo (the navel of the world), which served as the political, cultural, religious, and geographic center of the Inca Empire, the largest indigenous empire in the Americas.

Historical Context

Known in Quechua as the Realm of the Four Parts, the empire stretched from modern-day Colombia all the way to Chile, from the Pacific coast to deep in the Andes mountains. At the center of the four regions was Cusco, the great capital from which the Sapa Inca ruled over this advanced civilization, whose population is estimated to have been between 6 and 14 million people.

When the Spanish captured the city in 1533, they were amazed by the grandeur of its monuments and the layout of its streets, but the conquistadores still decided to refashion the city in their own image, maintaining the basic urban planning but building over Inca temples and palaces and replacing them with Catholic churches and Baroque mansions of their own. Today, the city is a testament to the many civilizations that have forged it, with its architectural heritage composed of a blend of Inca and Spanish, along with the infrastructure of modern-day Peru. A fantastic tourist destination in its own right, Cusco also serves as a gateway to other fantastic Inca ruins scattered across the Sacred Valley, most famously Machu Picchu.

Altitude

At over 11,000 feet (3,400 m), the altitude in Cusco is not to be taken lightly. However, with the proper measures, it shouldn’t have much of an effect on your trip.

Start by drinking lots and lots of water (3 or 4 liters per day) in the days leading up to your arrival, and continue once you are there. Be sure to take things slow once you arrive, giving yourself at least a day or two to acclimate before attempting any strenuous activities or hikes. I also recommend following the local remedies for altitude sickness, which derive from the leaves of the native coca plant. Drink a cup or two of mate de coca (coca leaf tea) in the morning and keep some coca candies with you throughout the day, as any feelings from the altitude tend to come in waves.

It is true that the coca leaves contain alkaloids that are chemically extracted to produce cocaine, but don’t be alarmed––the tea itself is no more of a stimulant than a normal cup of coffee or tea, and it has no addictive properties.

Points of Interest

Plaza Mayor

When the Spanish arrived in the mid-16th century, they built their central square, the Plaza de Armas, on the same spot that the Incas had theirs. The Huacaypata (translated variously as ‘place of the warrior’ or ‘place of the weeping’) was the symbolic center of the empire as a whole: the square, lined by palaces and temples, was the site of religious festivals and celebrations of great military victories.

The Spanish quickly set about re-making the plaza as the center of their colonial viceroyalty, erecting palaces of their own as well as the two monumental churches that stand here today: the Catedral del Cusco and the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.

These two churches are––like much of the rest of the city––notable for their unique combination of architectural styles, mixing Spanish Baroque with Inca masonry.

The colonial Plaza de Armas was also the site of the execution of various Peruvian independence leaders, most notably Túpac Amaru II, who in the early 1780s led a widespread but unsuccessful rebellion to resurrect the former Inca Empire and cast off Spanish rule.

Coricancha

This site perfectly encapsulates the multi-layer history of Cusco. Originally a temple dedicated to the sun god Inti, the Coricancha (Golden Temple) was destroyed and looted by the Spanish, who took its gold to use in their churches and palaces. Later, the conquistadores decided to construct their own religious site, the Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo, on top of the ruins of the former temple, using the original stone foundations and building up. The Spanish church was severely damaged by earthquakes over the centuries, but the stone foundations remained intact, such was the quality of craftsmanship of the Inca masons, who painstakingly cut each stone by hand to ensure a seamless fit.

Today, the site pays homage to both of its heritages. The exterior looks decidedly Catholic, but once you enter you will see the original walls of the temples; although the sheets of gold that covered them were stolen by the Spaniards long ago, the remarkable consistency of the stones and the trapezoidal windows is enough to inspire awe. As you continue deeper into the complex, you find yourself in the immaculate two-level cloisters, looking back at the ornate churrigueresco tower.

The Coricancha was the single most important point in the entire Inca Empire, and the Spaniards’ destruction, looting, and replacement of it with the Catholic church you see today was a more than symbolic means of subjugating the Incas and replacing their culture.

Mirador de San Cristóbal

On your way up to Sacsayhuamán, be sure to stop at the Iglesia San Cristóbal to enjoy its fabulous view looking down over the Plaza de Armas and across the mountains far beyond the city.

Sacsayhuamán

High on a hill at the northern edge of the city is the monumental citadel of Sacsayhuamán, the most remarkable example of Inca masonry to be found in Cusco. The large fort was built in the 15th century using the same process as the one employed at the Coricancha, but on a much larger scale: each one of the massive stones was cut and placed by hand to fit precisely together, with no mortar or any other substance between them. All that remains of the fort now are its ruins, as the Spanish destroyed it and used the stones for the construction of their own buildings in the city below. The stones you see here today were the ones that were too heavy for the Spanish to move down the hill.