Getting in Cusco

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.

Climate of Cusco

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.).

Economics of Cusco

Cuzco is a small city with most of the comforts you are accustomed to: cash machines, supermarkets (though small), lots of restuarants and hotels, wonderful sites to see, and beautiful remnants of its past. It’s a beautiful,small city. It is mostly market-oriented where you can walk to many places.

The food is local mostly: papa, chuno, aji, arroz, and the standard fare: beef, chicken (they love chicken a la rotisserie), some fish, and pizza! Farming provides the livelihood for the majority of Peruvians, some of whom remain outside the money economy. Their main crop is cocoa leaves. The chief farm commodities produced are cotton, sugarcane, coffee, wheat, rice, corn, and barley.

Region of Cusco

Cusco is a region in Peru. It is bordered by the Ucayali Region on the north; the Madre de Dios and Puno regions on the east; the Arequipa Region on the south; and the Apurimac, Ayacucho and Junin regions on the west. Its capital is the city of Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire.

Geography

The Cusco region has a very diverse landscape where elevated alignments of mountains with vast altiplanos and plateaus with slight surfaces and deep valleys and canyons are mixed.

The Eastern Andes mountain range, which is the spinal column of this region, has been strongly eroded by the complex system of courses of waters draining toward the jungle as well as glaciers. Nowadays only three chains of mountains are left from the old Eastern mountain range which are oriented from the southeast to northeast part, such as Vilcabamba which defines the hydrographic systems of the Urubamba and Apurimac rivers with elevated peaks like Salkantay and Pumasillo; the Vilcanota with its most important peak, the Ausangate, which is also the region’s highest peak; and the Paucartambo with smaller dimensions than the previous channels.

Also, Cusco has alignments of mountains with smaller elevations and local characteristics like the residual highlands which originate from the wearing of the old andean altiplano caused by strong erosion of rivers due to the high andean lifting. The two most important highland zones are: Vilcabamba enclosing the valley of Cusco and whose most important peak is Huanacaure; and the Mountains of Cusco, located at the north of the city, whose highest peak is the Pachatusan.

Like in all Andean regions, the main rivers and its affluents have formed deep valleys and canyons, among the most important ones are those formed by the Urubamba, Apurimac and Paucartambo rivers.

The valley of Urubamba shows alluvial terraces in its thick soils where a strong population dedicated to agriculture is established. The Urubamba river, under 2000 m, has formed a deep and narrow canyon which reaches all its beauty close to Machu Picchu, showing a rare landscape of bends. Due to the diversity of soil altitudes, the region has a great variety of climates and landscapes, which have strongly influenced on agriculture and the distribution of population.

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Attractions of Cusco

Cusco Tourist Ticket

Admission to many of the most popular places of interest in Cusco can only be made using a ‘Tourist Ticket’ (Boleto Turistico). This ticket allows you entrance to many sites in and around Cusco and costs USUSD 20 (US10 for students with an ISIC card). The ticket is valid for 10 days and can be bought at the OFEC office at Garcilaso on Plaza Regocijo (Mon-Fri 8am-6.30pm , Sat 8am-2pm) or at any of the sites included on the ticket below.

Places included on the tourist ticket are:

Santa Catalina Convent and Art Museum, Museo de Historia Regional (Casa Inca Garcilazo de la Vega), Museo Palacio Municipal de Arte Contemporaneo, the Museo Arqueologico Koricancha (but not Koricancha itself), Museo de Arte Popular, Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo, Monumento Pachacutec

Inca ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Q’enko, Tambomachay and Puca Pucara.

Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. These sites are normally visited as part of the Sacred Valley day tour.

Urcos: Pikillacta (the only major pre-Inca ruin in the Cusco area) and Tipon (mainly Inca terracing).

Entrance tickets to the Cathedral (USUSD 3), Koricancha / Qoricancha /Temple of the Sun (USUSD 1.80), San Blas church, the Inka Museum (USUSD 3), Museo de Arte Precolombino (USUSD 4.60), Museo de Arte Religioso del Arzobispado (USUSD 3) and La Merced (USUSD 0.90) are sold separately.

The Plaza de Armas (Main Square)

The Plaza de Armas (main square) was the centre of Inca Cusco and, still today, remains at the heart of modern Cusco. During Inca times the Plaza was known as Huacaypata (the Place of Tears or the Weeping Square) and was a place of ceremonies and military parades. It has been said that when the Inca’s conquered new lands they would bring back some of the soil to be mixed with the soil of Huacaypata, as a symbolic gesture to incorporate the newly gained territories into the Inca empire.

The Plaza was once flanked with Inca palaces. The remains of the ancient walls of Inca Pachacutec’s palace can still be seen on the north-west side of the square (inside the Roma Restaurant close to the corner of the Plaza and Calle Plateros.

The northern and western sides of the Plaza are now lined by arcades with shops and travel agencies. There are many restaurants, bars and coffee shops with beautifully carved wooden balconies overlooking the Plaza - a great place to relax and enjoy the view.

The Plaza’s north-eastern edge is dominated by the Cathedral which is flanked on the right-hand side by the El Triunfo church.

On the south-east side is the smaller but more ornate church of La Compania de Jesus with its impressive pair of belfries.

Cathedral
The Cathedral dominates the north-east side of the Plaza de Armas and sits squarely on the foundations of the Inca Viracocha’s palace. The Cathedral was begun in 1550 and completed nearly 100 years later, constructed in the shape of a Latin cross.

The three-aisled nave is supported by only fourteen massive pillars. It contains nearly 400 colonial paintings including the Last Supper by Marcos Zapata showing Christ and the Apostles about to dine on guinea-pig, washed down with a glass of chicha! In the sacristy there’s a painting of the crucifixion attributed to Van Dyke. Ten smaller chapels surround the nave, with the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, and the Chapel of El Senor de los Temblores (The Lord of Earthquakes) are worthy of special attention.

The Cathedral’s real magic lies in the mingling of history and legend. It is said that when the Cathedral was built an Inca prince was walled up in one of the towers and that when the tower falls the Inca will emerge to claim his birthright and free his people. After the earthquake of 1950 thousands of believers waited hopefully for the tower to collapse, but despite severe damage, they did not and were later repaired.

El Triunfo

El Triunfo is on the right hand side of the Cathedral and was the first Christian church in Cusco. It was built on the site of Suntur Huasi (the Roundhouse), the main Inca armoury where the Spanish were trapped during Manco Inca’s siege in 1536. When the Incas burned the city the thatched roof of Suntur Huasi caught fire, but then mysteriously went out. The Spanish later broke out and recaptured Sacsayhuaman, ending the siege. The church was built to commemorate this victory and the miracle.

La Compania de Jesus

La Compania de Jesus church is located on the south-east side of the Plaza de Armas and rivals the Cathedral in grandeur and prominence. The original structure was built in the 1570’s by the Jesuits on the site of Inca Huayna Capac’s palace, known as Amaru Cancha or Palace of the Serpents and was said to be the most beautiful of all the Inca palaces). Huayna Capac was the last Inca to rule over an undivided, unconquered empire.

The first church was destroyed in the earthquake of 1650. The present day building was finally completed 18 years later in 1668. The most impressive feature of La Compania is the incredible baroque facade with two majestic bell towers. The interior is cool and a little gloomy apart from a stunning gilded altar-piece which is often lit up at night. The church also posses several important works of art from the Cusquena School. (more…)

Adventure Sports in Cusco

Cusco offers beautiful landscapes and approaches you to the magnificent past of the Inca culture. That is true, but it also brings us emotions. For those who love the quiet adventure or the adrenaline shock, Cusco is the precise destination.

If you want to walk, the Inca Trail is the best option for the tourist. In two or four days, depending on your choice, you’ll reach Machu Picchu from Cusco. On the way, you’ll enjoy the different archaeological places along the route. You’ll also enjoy being in touch with people from the small towns nearby the route.

The “parapente” lover finds in Cusco height and winds.

Four or five thousand meter high mountains and thermal areas make of this activity a pleasure to fly.

There are also rivers of vertiginous currents or of middle mildness for those who like rafting. To practice kayaquismo by the Urubamba River or the Apurimac Canyon is an unforgettable experience both for the expert and for the beginner.

Likewise, there are impressive routes for those who want to practice mountain bike or just to ride the bicycle. Especially if you take into account that this sport is the most popular in the region. Not only can you visit the Cusco ruins along the road, but if you wish, you can even go until Puerto Maldonado.

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Festivities in Cusco

The best, the only way of compenetrating with a city that is living a constant festivity like Cusco is to understand the deep sense of its celebrations. The range of festivities that Cusco propose to the visitor is almost endless. Thus, the main ceremonies are the ones that establish the most important moments. By the way, Cusco take also into account the national holidays such as our Independence day but none of them can be compared to the regional celebrations in Cusco if we talk about the quantity of audience joint.

The Coyllur Riti, for instance, meet pilgrims from the andean south as well as from other nearby countries. On the other side, there are minor celebrations related to daily life such as cleaning the drains, the first hair cut or the engagement of a couple.

Along with all of these celebrations and showing the versatility and diversity of Cusco as a festive city, modernity has entered the city establishing a festival which could be considered the most important festival of youth music in the country.

The historic background of the festivities
Since the Inca period, the religious, military and civic ceremonies were very important in the Sacred City of the Incas as they reaffirmed the magic and mythic character of their city. During the colony, the religious festivities became more important. Along the years, festivities have suffered many changes. Although all the elements that have been included, the celebrations have not loosen their main features and they are still, most of them, related to the agriculture and cattle calendar.

The festivities of the vital cycle
It is about a series of festivities that had, even today they do, a very important role in their social life. They create and reinforce the links of relationships and reciprocity among the andean communities. Among them we have the haircut or rutuchikuy, the serwinakuy or mock marriage and the day of death people.

The colonial festivities
Festivities became more important during the colony. The baroque festivity, splendid product of the Counter-Reformation was thought as a method of resistance against the sudden attack of the Protestantism. As they considered it as the institute for the civilization par excellence, Spanish authorities tried all the social levels participate in them. Thus, in the new squares, in the masses and processions, along with the songs and firework, the native inhabitants were incorporated little by little to the new order. The wealth of the prehispanic ceremonial life facilitated the establishment of colonial ceremonies and contribute to the symbiosis. As Catholicism is also a religion of solar worship, the date of the catholic festivities were the same as in the andean world. The western calendar of festivities was established along with the andean calendar. We have the same day the celebration of the Inti Raymi and the Corpus Christi for instance.

Easter and the Lord of tremors
Easter is a central commemoration in the catholic world as it reminds us about the death and resurrection of Christ. In Cusco, the celebration of Easter is related to the Lord of tremors: the defensor of the city.

The image of the Taytacha Tremors, as it is called in Cusco, amazes by its expression of roughness and pain. The worship dates from the colony when in 1650 a horrible earthquake practically destroyed the city and the population decided to take the Christ out in procession by the streets of the city. (more…)

Art of Cusco

The popular art in Cusco is the result of the meeting of two worlds, the merge between the ancient andean world conception and the European conception in the XIV and XV centuries. In addition to this connection, we have the quality, the technique, the notable skill of the artisans in any expression: textile, pottery and imagery as well as silversmith work and candle art.

There is not an archaeological site, nor a town where they do not offer you beautiful handicraft pieces. Almost in any central place of the city of Cusco we can find shops or street vendors and even in the porches of the Main Square, for instance.

But there are also workshops of famous artisans traditionally joint in the district of San Blas. There they make the famous sculptures of saints, archangels and Santiagos with long neck, done with paste of wheat flour, rice and cheese. They are considered as real masterpieces of the collection.

Besides, the alpaca, llama and sheep wool are also important as well as felt hats. You can also find beautiful silver pieces, with Inca and Colonial features. There are also silver pieces with inca and colonial features, diverse pottery, musical instruments such as quenas, zamponas and charangos. You can also find mirrors with plaster and pan de oro (golden ornaments) , as well as some paintings with regional purposes.

The artisan offer in Cusco is diverse, we find cloth, images, pottery pieces, silver jewels, carvings, among other objects. Without a question one of the most important districts is San Blas due to its artisan tradition. There, you can admire the workshops of the masters such as Mendivil, Edilberto Merida, Antonio Olave and Gregorio Bejar The rich and variety of images include kings, virgins, Manuelito’s valley, archangels among many other pieces.

Pottery

Artisans from Cusco are representatives of two traditions of high quality: the Inca and the Colonial. The style of the Imperial Inca is mainly characterized by the quality of its polish, the simplicity and nobleness of its shapes, as well as the sobriety in the decoration which is frequently imitated by artisans in Cusco these days.

During the colony, the best pottery of Cusco was made with glasses. They mainly used green over the cream background with designs mostly fitomorphos, though this type of production is unusual nowadays

Cultura of Cusco

Cusco is and will always be a cultural capital. It was in the days of the Inca Empire as its center and it is nowadays as one of the most important cities of the region. But, besides, it is a compulsory touristic destination for those who love the man’s history.

It is not only an archaeological city. In other words, Cusco is not only ruins, but also its people and customs, history and traditions, that strange but enriching combination of the old Europe with the new continent.

What can you find in Cusco? Colors, kindness, joy and an endless variety of usages and customs, clothes and dances, like that of Chunchos, Qollas, Carnaval Cusqueno, la Danza de los Doctorcitos, la Danza de los Negritos, la Contradanza, la Saqra K’achampa, el Panadero, just to mention some of them.

The Cusco popular art is incomparable. The natural creativity of native people has been shown throughout the history of this city that was enriched with the Spaniards’ arrival who brought new ideas and techniques. (more…)

Nearby sights of Cusco

Other nearby Inca sites are Pachacuti’s presumed winter home Machu Picchu which can be reached by a lightly maintained Inca trail, or the train, the “fortress” at Ollantaytambo, and the “fortress” of Sacsayhuaman which is approximately two kilometers from Cusco. Other less visited ruins include Inca Wasi, the highest of all Inca sites at 3,980 m (13,134 feet), Old Vilcabamba the capital of the Inca after the capture of Cuzco, the sculpture garden at Chulquipalta (aka Chuquipalta, Ñusta Espana, The White Rock, Yurak Rumi), as well as Huillca Raccay, Patallacta, Choquequirao and many others.

The surrounding area, located in the Huatanay Valley, is strong in agriculture, including corn, barley, quinoa, tea and coffee, and gold mining. Thanks to remodeling, Cusco’s main stadium, Estadio Garcilaso de la Vega, attracted many more tourists during South America’s continental soccer championship, the Copa America 2004 held in Peru. The city is served by Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.