Peru 2009: Cusco, September 29 - October 1

Cusco, Peru; September 29 - October 1

Cusco

Cusco or Cuzco is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley (Sacred Valley) of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cusco Province. The city has a population of 348,935 which is triple the figure of 20 years ago. Located on the eastern end of the Knot of Cusco, its altitude is around 3,300 m (11,000 ft). Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca Empire and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 by UNESCO. It is a major tourist destination and receives almost a million visitors a year. It is designated as the Historical Capital of Peru by the Constitution of Peru.

The original Inca city, said to have been founded in the 11th century, was sacked by Pizarro in 1535. There are still remains, however, of the palace of the Incas, the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Virgins of the Sun. There are still Inca building remains and foundations, which in some cases have proved to be stronger than the foundations built in present-day Peru. Among the most noteworthy buildings of the city is the cathedral of Santo Domingo.
The major nearby Inca sites are Pachacuti's presumed winter home, Machu Picchu, which can be reached on foot by an Inca trail or by train; the "fortress" at Ollantaytambo; and the "fortress" of Sacsayhuaman.
Other less-visited ruins include: Inca Wasi, the highest of all Inca sites at 3,980 m (13,100 ft); Old Vilcabamba the capital of the Inca after the capture of Cusco; the sculpture garden at Chulquipalta (aka Chuquipalta, Ñusta España, The White Rock, Yurak Rumi); as well as Huillca Raccay, Patallacta, Choquequirao, Moray 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 remodelling, Cusco's main stadium, Estadio Garcilaso de la Vega, attracted many more tourists during South America's continental soccer championship, the Copa América 2004 held in Peru. The stadium is home to one of the country's most successful soccer clubs, Cienciano. Cusco's local team has made a name for itself in the world of club soccer, as it has won several international competitions in South America, although it has yet to achieve such success in its home country.
The city is served by Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.

At the Cusco airport with traditional Andean music band

Outdoor clay oven at Pacha Papa restaurant

The historic colonial architecture of the San Blas district of Cusco

Plaza de Armas

Cathedral of Santo Domingo

The Cathedral of Santo Domingo in Cusco, which is also known as 'Cusco Cathedral,' is set on the main square of the Peruvian city, the Plaza de Armas. Building was completed in 1654, almost a hundred years after construction began. Adjacent, and joined, to the cathedral is the smaller 'Iglesia del Triunfo', which was the first christian church to be built in Cusco. The 'Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus,'that also dominates the Plaza de Armas, was built at a similar time to Santo Domingo. The Cathedral, as well as its official status as a place of worship, has become a major repository of Cusco's colonial art, and also many artifacts and relics. The cathedral has UNESCO World Heritage status under the City of Cuzco listing in 1983.

Iglesia del Triumfo

The Church of Triumph, to use its English translation, was built in 1536, just three years after the conquistadores settled in Cusco. It was built over 'Suntur Wasi,' which was an Inca ceremonial building adjoining the palace of Viracocha, in a similar way to the way that the Cathedral of Santo Domingo is now adjoined to the earlier Iglesia del Triunfo.
The name of the 'Church of Triumph' derives from the history of the Spanish settlers in Cusco. At one point, presumably between 1533, and 1536, the Spanish were cornered by a besieging army of Incas, led by Manko Inka. The final stand for the Spanish was in the Suntur Wasi, before its demolition, and just as it seemed that they were on the verge of defeat, the Spanish miraculously managed to drive back the Incas. The Catholic conquistadores attribute this victory to Saint James the Greater (the patron saint of Spain), who was reported at the time to descend from heaven to drive back the Quechua Incas. This is why the church is called the 'Church of Triumph,' and also why there is a statue of St. James atop a horse within the Church, depicting him slaying an Inca.

Taking a picture with some Alpacas and some native's

In front of the Iglesia del Triumfo

Eating Lomo Saltado, a Peruvian beef stew.

Sunrise over Cusco

Peruvian graffiti on the hills

A family pet...an alpaca

An old colonial building built atop an Incan ruin

Coricancha

The Coricancha (from the Quechua words Quri Kancha meaning 'Golden Courtyard'), originally named Inti Kancha (' Temple of the Sun') was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God.
It was one of the most revered and respected temples of the city of Cusco, Peru.
The walls and floors were once covered in sheets of solid gold, and the courtyard was filled with golden statues. Spanish reports tell of its opulence that was 'fabulous beyond belief'. The majority of the gold collected to fill the ransom room for the Inca Atahualpa was collected from Coricancha.
The Church of Santo Domingo was built on the site, using the ruined foundations of the temple that was flattened by the Spanish in the 17th century, and is a fine example of where Inca stonework has been incorporated into the structure of a colonial building. Major earthquakes have severely damaged the church, but the Inca stone walls, built out of huge, tightly-interlocking blocks of stone, still stand thanks to the sophisticated stone masonry. Nearby is an underground archaeological site museum containing a number of interesting pieces, including mummies, textiles and sacred idols.

Full moon over the Temple of the Sun