Highlands (Andes) in southern Peru 72.104 km2/27.839 miles2 mSffi^^ffliiBBKH Cusco (3399 masl/ 11.156 fasl) 3 Lowest point: 532 masl / 1745 fasl (Pilcopata) The terrain in Cusco is steep, combining fertile inter-Andean valleys with Highest point: 4801 masl / 15.751 fasl (Suyckutambo) impressive mountains that descend to thé rim of thé jungle where thé From thé city of Cusco to thé following cities: température rises and thé landscape is transformed through a variety of Acomayo (Province of Acomayo) 104,5 km (65 miles) / 3 hours végétation. Anta (Province of Anta) 26 km (16 miles) / 30 minutes The city has a semi-dry and cold climate. The annual average maximum Calca (Province of Calca) 50 km (31 miles) / 1 hour and 15 température is 19.6QC (67.3aF) and thé minimum is 4.2°C (39.6SF). The rainy minutes season starts in November and ends in March, and it is thé time when thé Yanaoca (Province of Canas) 165 km (103 miles) / 3 hours mountains are covered in green. Between June and July is thé time of thé Sicuani (Province of Canchis) 138 km (86 miles) / 2 hours intense cold (heladas) even with occasional snowfalls. Santo Tomes (Province of Chumbivilcas) 240 km (149 miles) / 10 hours Yauri (Province of Espinar) 241 km (150 miles) / 7 hours Quillabamba (Province of La Convenciôn) 210 km (130 miles) / 6 hours Parum (Province of Paruro) 64 km (40 miles) / 2 hours Paucartambo (Province of Paucartambo) 109 km (68 miles) / 3 hours Urcos (Province of Quispicanchi) 46 km (29 miles) / 40 minutes Urubamba (Province of Urubamba) 78 km (48 miles) / 1 hour and 25 minutes During thé Inca Empire, thé square was called Huacaypata, a Quechua word pH^ItnnrJB^B meaning "place of tears" or "meeting place". It was an important cérémonial By land: Lima - Arequipa - Cusco: 1650 km / 1025 miles (26 hours spot where thé Inti Raymi or Festival of thé Sun was celebrated every year. It is by car) also thé place where Francise Pizarro proclaimed thé conquest of Cusco. After Lima -Nasca-Puquio-Abancay- Cusco: 1131 km/703 thé Spanish arrived, thé plaza changed. They erected stone arches and built thé miles (20 hours by car) structures that surround it today. Puno - Cusco: 389 km / 242 miles (7 hours by car) Byair. Daily flights to Cusco from Lima (1 hour) and Arequipa (30 minutes) Visiting hours: Mon. - Sat 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 PM. Sun. and Holidays 2:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. By train: Regular service from Puno: 384 km / 239 miles (10 hours) The building went through two construction stages: first, thé Chapel of thé Triumph was built on top of what used to be thé temple Suntar Was/lHouse of God); later, thé cathedral itself was built over thé remains of thé palace of Inca Wiracocha. A Renaissance building in its majority, thé interior décoration is rich in cedar and aider woodcarvings. The choir and thé pulpit stand out for their beauty. An important collection of paintings from thé Cusco School and silver wrought pièces are also kept there. ..s :iMal;il» Jorge SamieNo / PromPerà Main Square The original building was raised in 1571 on thé grounds of thé ancient palace of Inca Huayna Cépac, thé Amarucancha. After thé earthquake of 1650, it was rebuilt around 1688. The design and thé façade are examples of Andean The Tahuantinsuyo, thé Inca name for their empire, reached as far as Pasto in Baroque. The retable style entrance is decorated with médium size towers and Colombia and thé Maule River in Chile, and its capital was Cusco, a sacred city thé stonewalls are carefully worked. Once inside, thé triple bodied upper altar to thé Incas, thought to be thé center of thé world. with salomonic columns, thé wooden pulpit, and numerous Baroque, Two myths tell thé story of thé founding of Cusco: one about Manco Capac and Plateresque, and Churrigueresque shrines catch thé eye. The most remarkable thé other about thé Ayar brothers and sisters, which cornes closest to thé actual work of art is "El matrimonio de Martin Garcia de Loyola con Beatriz Clara Coya" facts based on historical and scientific évidence found in thé archeological (The Wedding of Martin Garcia de Loyola with Beatriz Clara Coya). remains and on thé chronicles from thé first Spanish settlers. According to thé legends and thé stories, there bas been thirteen Incas ruling over thé Huatanay River valley around 1200 A.D., controlling it from Cusco, thé city they had raised. From there, they fortified thé Tahuantinsuyo in less than a century. After thé Conquest, thé Spanish proceeded to found their own city (March 23, 1534). The rise of a new culture transformed thé inca temples and palaces into Colonial mansions and churches. Little by little, thé city became thé symbol of a c Pn]pit!l!in!lis,[u!co MicWUile/PniPeii mixture, not only architecturally, but also and mostly culturally. The earthquake of 1650 reduced thé city and thé surrounding areas to ruins, but set up a background to start new Cusco artforms underthe patronage of Bishop 4 blocks from thé Main Square Mollinedo who aimed at thé reconstruction thé city, and encouraged thé It is one of thé most picturesque areas in ail of Cusco. It is called T'oqokachior development of architecture, wood carving, and painting. Sait Hole and is characterized by narrow, steep streets and beautiful Colonial Cusco was thé scène of several Andean résistance movements, thé most houses. It is also known as thé Artisans Neighborhood. In San Blas many significant being that of José Gabriel Condorcanqui, Tupac Amaru II, in 1780. families accommodate guests in their homes. After thé Déclaration of Independence, thé Liberator José de San Martin created thé Department of Cusco on April 26,1822, although it was not until 1825, with thé arrivai of Simon Bolivar, that thé lies to thé Spanish Crown were definitely eut off. Plaza San Blas. Visiting hours: Mon. - Wed. and Fri. - Sun. 10:00 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. Mon. Presently, Cusco is one of thé centers of tourist activity in South America and Sun. 2:00 PM.-5:30 PM. disposes of modem tourist services and offers an interesting nightlife. Founded in 1560 during thé Colonial period, it features a masterpiece in its wood carved Baroque pulpit, attributed to thé Indigenous artist, Diego Quispe Tito. Ça/te Mantes. Visiting hours: Mon.-Sun. 8:00 A.M. - 12:WPM. and2:OOPM. -5:OOP.M. Calle Heladeros. Visiting hours: Mon. - Sat. 9:00 A.M. - 5:30 PM. The Baroque church was built between 1657 and 1680. The sacristy holds its Born on April 12, 1539, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega was thé son of thé Spanish most precious treasure: an impressive gold and gemstones encrusted Captain Garcilaso de la Vega y Vargas and thé Cusco princess, Chimpu Ocllo. He monstrance, 1,3 meters / 3 feet high and of 22 kilos. It is crowned with one large is thé author of two works, "Comentarios Reaies" (Royal Commentaries) and "La mermaid shaped pearl, considered thé second largest in thé world. Florida del Inca" [The Inca Flower), both motivated by thé necessity to recover thé history of thé Inca Empire. The house is thé current location of thé Régional Historical Muséum that contains a collection of canvasses from thé Cusco Plaza Intipampa, corner ofAvenida El Sol and Calle Santo Domingo. Visiting hours: Mon. - School. Sat 8:30 A.M. - 6:30 PM. and Sun. 2:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. The Koricancha was one of thé most impressive buildings of Inca Cusco according to thé historians: thé glowing gilding of thé interior walls illuminated Plaza Nazarenas 231. Téléphone: 1084) 23-3210. Visiting hours: Mon. - Sun. and holidays what used to be thé main temple dedicated to thé worship of thé Sun God. The 9:00 A.M. - 11:00 PM Spanish built thé church and Dominican convent on top of thé original structure The mansion that shelters thé muséum was Kancha Inca in 1450, thé house of around 1534 but they collapsed during thé earthquake of 1650 and were rebuilt thé Conquistador Alonso Diaz in 1580, thé home of Count de la Cabrera in 1850, around 1681. The convent possesses an art gallery of valuable seventeenth and and was completely restored to become thé Muséum of Pre-Colombian Art in eighteenth century canvasses. June 2003. In its 11 rooms, 450 works of art are displayed that date from 1250 B.C. to 1532 A.D. Thèse were selected from a group of 45.000 objects belonging to thé collection of thé Larco Archeological Muséum in Lima. 2 km / 1 mile northeast of Cusco (10 minutes by car). Visiting hours: Mon. - Sun. and holidays 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM The area contains thirty-three archeological sites. The most famous is Fort Sacsayhuaman. It might well hâve been a religious structure, but for its location and style, thé Spanish and thé historians believe it was a military construction. The most important temple in Hanan Qosqo or Upper Cusco might hâve been located there, dedicated to Andean cosmology and to thé worship of thé Inti Calle Santa Catalina Angosta. Visiting hours: Mass fîmes (sun), thé Quilla (moon), Chaska (stars), Illapa (ray), and other divinities. It is Thèse two buildings were raised in 1605 on what used to be thé Acllahuasi or described as massive for thé size of some of its stones, which weigh between House of thé Chosen Women (acllas were women designated to accomplish 90 and 120 tons. This is also thé stage of thé Inti Raymi or Festival of thé Sun spécial tasks for thé Inca).