TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN CUSCO

MAIN CITY ATTRACTIONS
Plaza de Armas.(Main Square).- Called on the Inca’s era as Huacaypata or warrior square; It was the scenery of different key events of the History of Cusco. There, the Inti Raymi or Sun’s festivity used to take place, also Francisco Pizarro proclaimed the conquest of Cusco. With the arrival of the Spaniards, this square was surrounded with beautiful stone arches, which remain until today.

The Cathedral.- Located at the Plaza de Armas (Main Square), originally erected where the former temple of Suntur Wasi (God’s House) was, nowadays, called Triumph Church. Then, its construction was ordered to be where the Palace of Inca Wiracocha was.

The exterior and interior have a renascent style. The interior is decorated with cedar and alder woodcarvings. Bringing out the carvings of Martin Torres and Melchor Huaman, being prominent the chorus, pulpit, and woodcarving of altars and furniture. Likewise, the paintings of important artists and silver repoussé work.

Barrio de San Blas (San Blas Town).- One of the most picturesque town of Cusco. It is called "artisan town", embracing the most famous popular artists of the city, it has narrow and inclined streets where raising colonial buildings of great charm. There are familiar lodges offered to tourists allowing them to share, the known Andean hospitality and friendship as their customs and food.

Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús (Jesus Companionship Church).- Before, it was Amaru Cancha (The Serpent’s Wall), Inca Huayna Cápac Palace, splendid stone building. There are canvases, as the marriage of San Ignacio de Loyola nephew with a native princess.

Iglesia y Convento de La Merced (La Merced Church and Convent).- Founded in 1536, being prominent the church’s tower, having a baroque style hewing stone. The Sacristy keeps in custody gold and precious stones.

Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo Church and Convent).- Spanish building where the Inca temple Korikancha or Sun’s Temple was located.

Iglesia y Convento de Santa Catalina (Santa Catalina Church and Convent).- The architecture corresponds to the last renascent stages, having Roman style arches.

Iglesia de San Blas (San Blas Church).- The oldest church of Cusco, in the artisan town. Being prominent the pulpit, the most extraordinary artistic carpentry work of the Spanish overloaded style.

Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco (San Francisco Church and Convent).- At the interior of the convent there is a monumental canvas, measuring 12 x 9 meters. It is about the Franciscan family genealogy, done by Juan Espinoza de los Monteros.

Palacio Arzobispal (Archiepiscopal Palace).- Today’s religious art museum, viceroyship building with Arab influence, erected over the base of Sovereign Inca Roca Palace.

Palacio del Almirante (Admiral’s Palace).- Headquarter of the Inca Museum, sheltering the greatest variety of findings from the Cusco area, as ceramics, knits, gold and silver work and mummies from the Inca’s era.

Casa de los Cuatro Bustos (Four Bust House).- Viceroyship style house, at the entrance there are four busts, shield and coat of arms.

Casa del Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (Inca Garcilaso de la Vega House).- Belonged to the illustrious chronicler, erected over the Inca’s platform and it is a singular example of viceroyship architecture. Currently is the Regional Historical Museum, there you can appreciate paintings from the Cusco’s School.

Koricancha.- Dominican church and convent; Koricancha (in quechua " gold enclosure "), was the main religious building of the Incas dedicated to the cult of the sun and its inner walls, according to the chroniclers, were covered by gold plates.
For their construction, as it is possible to appreciate until the present time, taking advantage of the magnificent stone blocks finely worked from the Inca sanctuary.

Acllawasi.- House of the Sun’s Virgins. Place that served as the house for the chosen women

Amaru Cancha.- Inca Huayna Cápac House, curently partially occupied by the Church Compañía de Jesus (Company of Jesus) and University San Antonio Abad

Kiswar Kancha.- This was Inca Huiracocha House.

Hatunrumiyoc.- This was Inca Roca house, where the famous 12-angle stone is in the street with the same name.

ATTRACTIONS AROUND THE CITY

Sacsayhuamán.- 2 km. from Cusco, approximately 10 minutes by car and 25 minutes walking. Cyclopean Fort of the Inca’s Era, has three superposed platforms, of 360 meters average length. They communicate with each other by stairs and access doors of stone, one of this measures 9 meters height and 5 meters width.

Kenko.- 3 km. from Cusco and approximately 15 minutes by car, it is said it was a worship temple. There is an enormous stone block of 5.90m height, it has the appearance of a Puma. Also, there are halls, canals and stairs with engravings representing animals.

Puca Pucará.- 6 km. from Cusco and approximately 30 minutes by car and 2 hours walking. Administrative and Military Center, with platforms, stairs, halls, towers and vaulted niches.

Tambomachay.- 7 km. from Cusco and approximately 35 minutes by car. Known as Baños del Inca (Inca’s Bath). It is considered as a worship place of water.

ATTRACTIONS OUTSIDE THE CITY

VALLE SAGRADO DE LOS INCAS.- VVALLE SAGRADO DE LOS INCAS (Incas’ Sacred Valley).- Valley of the river Urubamba or Vilcanota; along its length you can appreciate:

•Pisaq: Picturesque town located 32 km. from Cusco and approximately 1 hour by car. It is known because of the artisan market, irrigation system and astronomic Inca observatory, being prominent Intiwatana and platforms

•Yucay: 68 km. from Cusco and approximately 1 and half-hours by car. Located at the beautiful warm and fertile place. In this zone, it is important the Inca Manco Sairy Tupac the Second Palace. It was an agriculture production center of Incas

•Calca : 50Km and 1 hour by car. Great attraction because of its beautiful spots brightened by the Snow Mountains Pitusiray and Sawasiray. In this province, there is the archeological complex Huchuy Qosqo, Machacancha thermo medicinal baths (sulfide thermal waters) and Minasmoqo (cold gas waters).

•Urubamba: 78km from Cusco via Pisac and approximately 1.25 hours by car, other route is via Chinchero 57Km and approximately 45 minutes by car; located in the core of the Sacred Valley. It was other Pre-Hispanic Agriculture Center. Fertile and sheltered area where is possible to spend the night to do different tours.

•Ollantaytambo: Archeological park, 97Km from Cusco and approximately 2 and half-hours by car. The Ollantaytambo area, called "Tambo Valley" is located along the border of the Vilcanota River up to Machu Picchu and has a common characteristic of colorful farming fields with maize. The townies, has designed a new tourism experience called Ancestral Routes, where the tourist walks by the Inca City, appreciating the hydraulic and agronomy knowledge of their past inhabitants.

CIRCUITO CHINCHERO, MARAS (Chinchero circuit, Maras).

•Chinchero.- 28Km from Cusco and 3772 m.o.s.l. Archeological Inca complex, also it has a Colonial church with paintings of Cusco’s Scholl. On Sundays, there is a typical market, where the exchange takes place.
• Maras.- 48Km north of Cusco and approximately 1 hour by car. It was a very prosperous town in the Colonial Era, therefore, it has a church and many houses, which their entrances show the coat of arms of Noble Natives.

•Moray .- 9Km from Maras and approximately 25 minutes by car. It has concentric but slightly aliptic platforms. Inca’s agriculture experimental center.

•Salineras.- 10 Km from Maras Town and approximately 30 minutes by car or 2 hours walking, Famous Salt Mines, exploited since the Inca Era until today.

SOUTH OF THE CITY

•Oropesa: Located at 24-Km southeast Cusco and 30 minutes by car. It could be named "the bread’s land" due to the numerous and old home made ovens producing a tasty rural bread.

•Piquillacta: 30Km south of Cusco and 45 minutes by car, there are the ruins of the Culture Wari (Pre-Inca). Buildings with defensive and storage of agricultural products purposes.

•Andahuaylillas.- 39Km, south of Cusco and 1 hour by car. Church founded in 1580. Very simple front contrasting with the expressed richness of baroque viceroyship art in the interior (gold altars, murals, paintings and polychrome ceilings).

HISTORICAL SANCTUARY OF MACHU PICCHU

Stone city, at 112Km from Cusco, discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. It is erected in a very special place covered with vegetation between the mountains of Machu Picchu (old Mountain) and Huayna Picchu (young mountain) and is surrounded by the Urubamva or Vilcanota River (Jungle border with flora and fauna abundance).

Comprise military type buildings, squares, temples and platforms. The access is by train (3-4 hours) or helicopter (25 minutes) and 20 minutes more by bus. Also, it is reachable by "Camino Inca" (Inca’s Road), one of trekking routes more famoues of Peru, it starts on Km 88 of train rail. The organized groups departure from the town of Chilca at the Km 76.