THE CULTURAL PATRIMONY OF CUSCO
Cusco, the sacred city. Political, economical and administrative center of the tawantinsuyo, was designed by masters with absolute knowledge of its physiography, resources and conditionsfor the development of life, the usage of the spaces, their distribution and functions foreseeing the continuity in time, like demonstrates the green belt that surrounded it and the accomplished balance between ecology and humanity.
Responding to planning, the main religious and public spaces were built like, Qorikancha or Intikancha, which architecture was erected over the structures that corresponded to a previous era in which the Killke culture developed. This temple of the god sun, sacred place, still preserves a great part of its architecture, and through archaeological research we could learn more about its plan and richness. It had a decoration of female figures of approximately 10 to 15 centimeters made of silver and gold, laminated and in one piece (Qorich'aska), associated to spondilus, ceramics, etc. Those little statues must have placed with all their garments, so demonstrates the contexts found in the yard of the first cloister of the convent of Santo Domingo and nearby areas. Some of the artistical samples we refer to can be appreciated in Museum of Casa Garcilaso.
The Kusicancha, located in front of the Qorikancha, in the system of ceques (42 ceques and 328 Huacas) of the urban section of the city, belonged to the first huaca of the fifth ceque on the road to the Chinchaysuyo, it was the birthplace of Inca Yupanqui, shows the distribution of yards and rooms and with doors of double jamb, articulated by longitudinal and transversal streets, in its middle section there were canals.
The recovering warks and archaelogical research are showing the original plan of this space associated to funeral contexts, ceramic objects, necklace's beads, knives, and a little metallic sculpture that represents a male character and other cultural remainders of the Late Horizon. With respect to the previous occupation, the Killke, remainders have been found from its architecture, canals, etc. The project pretends turning the place into an archaelogical museum, recover the viceroy architecture and adequate it to a compatible use.
In the Amaru Kancha, located on Loreto street, another important Inca building located next to the great square of Huaqaypata, archaelogical research was done and conservation of its structures, showing part of the original plan of the city of Qosqo.
The palace of Tupa Inka yupanqui (Maruri street in the present) shows the magnificence of inca empire architecture, associated to funeral context and cultural remainders, its recovery allows us to appreciate the different stages of its occupation.
This city, that preserves part of the stone architecture with walls made of polygonal and rectangular style, finely built, allows us to appreciate the plan of the so called 'canchas', rectangular or squared spaces where rooms were located around an open space or patio, articulated by streets that cross each other forming blacks, built with the idea-objective of giving this great city the form of a feline, as main icon among their gods. In its central section, the Hauqaypata square was located (present plaza de Armas or Plaza Mayor), this is where in 1994 and 1995, through archaeological research, stone structures were found and four little statues of llamas, two of them made of gold, among other remainders that are shown in the Museum Casa Garcilaso.
There is still a lot to recover from the archaeological history of this city, every day walls emerge and beat the dust from centuries that hid them, like in Suecia, Plateros, Saphy, and Romeritos, streets, hopefully the sensitivity of its habitants towards defense and preservation of cultural patrimony, which is everybody's heritage permits increasing its safety and protection.
When is the best time to visit Cusco?
The best season is during the dry season, which covers the months April to the end of September. In October the rains begin and you can find Machu Picchu covered by clouds. If you travel in June, we recommend you to book the Inti Raymi 2025 Tour that takes place in June 24th, and also hike the Palcoyo Mountain Tour, which is an incredible Rainbow Mountain located in the Andes.
Amazing Tour in Cusco
Many are the top tours in Cusco, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.
- Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 days
- Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 5 days
- Inca Quarry Trail 4 Days
- 2 Day Inca Trail Tour
- 2 Day Inca Trail with Camping
- 3 Day Inca Trail
- Vilcabamba Hike to Machu Picchu 6 days
- Choquequirao trek to Machu Picchu 9 days
- Ausangate trek 7 days
If you want to visit Machu Picchu, we recommend you to book your Machu Picchu Ticket in advance, so you will enjoy your Vacation in Machu Picchu without any problem.
