CUSCO`S HISTORY
Located in the southeastern part of the Andes, Cusco is Peru's main tourist destination and one of the most important in.jpg) the Americas. Known by the Incas as the "home of gods", Cusco became the capital of one of the largest pre-Columbian empires: the Tawantinsuyo. Its name in Quenchua, Qosqo means "Navel of the World". which derives from when the city served as a hub for when the Inca would travel the vast network of roads interconnecting virtually the whole of South America, from the southern part of present-day Colombia to the northern part of what is now Argentina.
Furthermore, Cusco is also both a mestizo and colonial city, with splendid churches and manors built on foundations of elaborately carved stone. The local cuisine is also something for the traveler to look forward to, including superb combinations of typical Andean foods, such as corn, potatoes and chili pepper, with pork and mutton introduced by the Spanish. With its vast landscapes, rich history and fascinating geography, Cusco is, without a doubt, something all travelers long to experience.
Brief history
Cuzco’s history does in fact extend way back to before 1000 BC when the Marcavalle Culture was the dominant power; indeed organized life in QosqoCity began practically with them. In the second phase of its history, around 800BC, Cuzco was home to the Chanapata culture and later developed several regional states, one of the first being that of Qotakalli around 600 A.D. By 750 AD, the Wari invasion from the north of Ayacucho began, resulting in the construction of buildings and what today is known as Pikillaqta. Subsequently, by 800 A.D. the regional state of Killki was formed, which included Sacsayhuaman itself and later that of Lucre around 1000 A.D. What is traditionally known as the Inka civilisation began around 1200 AD in its initial phase, with the first Inka, Manko Capaq and Mama Ocllo. It is also suggested that Pachakuteq, the ninth king, elaborated another foundation in 1438 which is also known as the expansive phase. Inca builders hereafter laid out the city in the form of a puma, with the fortress of Sacsayhuaman as the head, the plaza of Huacaypata as the belly, or navel, and the converging Huatanay and Tullumayo Rivers as its tail.
The ancient plaza was the core of the suyos, the four regions of the Inca Empire extending from Quito, Ecuador to northern Chile. The plaza was the site of official and ceremonial buildings and residences of ruling officials and was the locus for the famous road network where swift runners carried communications to all parts of the empire. Surrounding the city were areas for agricultural, artisanal and industrial production.
After the arrival of the first Spaniards to the city on November 15th 1533, Francisco Pizarro refounded it for the Spanish King on March 23rd 1534. In 1536 Manko Inka began a long and bloody war against the Spanish invaders with a siege lasting over 8 months over the city. Finally in 1572, after a war that lasted 36 years, Tupaq Amaru I, the last emperor of the Inka dynasty was defeated, captured and executed in the city’s main square. The Spanish subsequently destroyed many of the structures in the city or used them as foundations for many of their own churches and buildings.
Political Division
The department's province has the same name. It has 105 districts and 13 provinces: Acomayo, Anta, Calca, Canas, Canchis, La Convención, Cusco, Chumbivilcas, Espinar Paruro, Paucartambo, Quispicanchis and Urubamba; being the most inhabited Cusco, La Convención, Canchis, Quispicanchis and Chumbivilcas.
Language
There are two official languages in Peru: Spanish, which is spoken by 73% of the population; and Quechua or Runasimi, which is spoken by 24% of Peruvians. According to the specialists, Quechua has two variations: Huáihuash, which predominates over the central zone; and Huámpuy, which is spoken in the rest of the country. Most of the speakers of Quechua are bilingual and have Spanish as a second language. The same happens with the Aymaras, whose language is mainly restricted to the High Plateau. Besides, there are about 55 Amazonian languages in the country (asháninka, aguaruna and machiguengua, among others).
Religion
The official religion of Peru is the Roman Catholic, which is practiced by 80% of the population with a deep devotion and fervor. However, there is a freedom of worship and a well-defined religious syncretism that is mostly expressed in the Mountains and the Jungle, where people practice the Catholicism without leaving their traditional beliefs behind. Said beliefs are generally related to the earth or Pachamama and to natural phenomenon
Altitude
The altitude is 3,400 meters above sea level (11,150 feet). Some persons not used to the high altitude get problems as a consequence of the oxygen scarcity. There is an inverse relationship: the higher the altitude, the smaller the amount of oxygen. That phenomenon makes changes in people who live in high altitudes; they develop their hearts and lungs bigger. Their blood contains a higher amount of red cells too. Scarcity of oxygen produces in some people the altitude sickness that is also known as soroche or sickness of Monge. The symptoms include sleeplessness, headaches, increased excitability, shortness of breath, and a lower threshold of pain and taste. Tendon reflexes slow down and there may be loss of weight, thyroid deficiency, lung edema, or infections. Women may experience dysmenorrhea or amenorrhea, and many people experience psychological or mental disturbances. For some people it may take days, weeks or even years to adjust to some altitudes.
Latitude and Longitude
13° 30' 45". Our latitude indicates that we should have a tropical or equatorial weather, but it is not like that. Qosqo is cooler because of its high altitude. 71° 58' 33". We are 5 hours later than the Greenwich Mean Time.
Temperature
It is relatively cool. The annual average in the city is between 10.3° to 11.3° Celsius (50.54° to 52.34° Fahrenheit). Over here there is some uniformity in temperature between summer and winter. Normally it is somewhat cold at nighttime and during the first hours in the early morning while that at midday temperature increases considerably. During the early mornings in June and July temperature frequently drops to 5° and 7°C below zero (23° and 19.4°F).
Rainfall and Humidity
The altitude in which Qosqo is found and its proximity to the equator make the city's climate so special. There are just 2 well-defined seasons: a dry season and another rainy one. The dry season is from May to October and the rainy season from November to April. Generally, rainfall fluctuates between 600 to 880 mm. per year, that is between 31.5 to 34.5 inches.
In the lower section of the Qosqo Valley there is an annual humidity average of 64 %.
Area
Peruvian Republic: 1'285,215 Km² (496,221 mile²)
Inka Region: 175,280 Km² (67,676 mile²)
Qosqo Department: 76,225 Km² (29,430 mile²)
Qosqo Province: 523 Km² (202 mile²)
Flora
The original landscape of the valley in which the city is located has suffered some important changes. Pre-Columbian civilizations were ecologist cultures that learned to respect and live along with nature. In ancient times the grounds have been covered with sparse grasses, ichu (Stipa ichu) a native bunch grass, bushes and low trees. Among the most important native plants and bushes are: ñucchu (Salvia oppositiflora), yerba mora or ccaya-ccaya (Solanum nigrum), cow's tongue or llaque (Rumex crispus), male llanten or waqa kallo (Plantago hirtella), minor nettle or quisa (Urtica urens), yawar ch'onka (Oenothera rosea), ch'iri-ch'iri (Grindela boliviana), cancer herb (Stachys bogotensis), trinitaria or wallwa (Psoralea mexicana), q'eto-q'eto (Gnaphalium spicatum), wild tobacco or qhamasayri (Nicotiana paniculata), supai karko (Nicotiana glauca), dog thornbush or alkoquiska (Xanthium spinosum), dandelion or pilli-pilli (Taraxacum officinale), muña (Minthostachys spicata), chicchipa (Tagetes mandoni), verbena (Verbena litoralis), t'ankar quiska (Solanum pseudolicioides), llaulli (Barnadesia horrida), kantu (Cantua buxifolia) -a bush having red or yellow flowers that are considered as the Peruvian national flowers-, marqhu (Ambrosia peruviana), q'era (Lupinus condesuflorus), manca p'aki (Eupatorium sternbergianum), rata-rata (Abutilon arboreum), runto-runto (Calceolaria cuneiformis), angel's trumpet or floripondio (Datura arborea), red angel's trumpet (Datura sanguinea), roq'e (Colletia spinosissima), panti (Cosmos peucedanifolius), mountain ginger (Canna iridiflora), achupalla (Pitcairnia ferruginea), kcayara (Puya herrerrae), aguaimanto (Prunus), chunta paqpa (Fourcroya andina), century plant or paqpa (Agave americana), prickly pear or tuna (Opuntia ficus indica), p'ata quiska (Opuntia exaltata), jawaq'ollay or giant cactus (Trichocereus cuzcoensis), atoq-wakachi (Opuntia tunicata), niwa (Cortadería rudiuscula), ch'illca (Baccharis polyanta), maych'a or árnica (Senecio pseudotites), begonia or achankarai (Begonia sp.), etc.
Among the most important native trees are: chachacomo (Escallonia resinosa), molle or false pepper (Schinus molle), kiswar (Buddleia longifolia or incana), qolle (Buddleia coriácea), elderberry or sauco (Sambucus peruviana), capuli cherry (Physalis peruviana), lloq'e (Kageneckia lanceolata), tara (Caesalpinia spinosa), huayruro (Citharexylum herrerae), alder tree or lambran (Alnus jorulensis), cedar (Cedrela herrerae), coral tree or pisonay (Erythrina falcata), weeping willow (Salix humboldtiana), waranway (Tecoma sambucifolia), q'euña (Polylepis incana or racemosa), etc.
Since colonial days people from the city have been exterminating slowly many bushes and almost all of the valley's native trees for use as firewood. Today the trees that dominate our valleys are eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), imported from Australia in the 1880s. Another element that has changed the original landscape of the valley is the grass known as kikuyo (Pennisetun clandestinum), grass native from Eritrea and Abyssinia -present day Ethiopia- that was brought from Kenya and planted first in the Qosqo Valley in 1928. In the very beginning it was imported with ornamental purposes and as cattle pasture. Today it grows wildly even in the very high Andean Mountains as a pest that reduces the farmlands. It is appreciated by cattlemen but hated by farmers.
Orography
The Qosqo Valley is located by the mid-west of the Peruvian Andes, not so far away from what is known as the "Vilcanota Node". Mountains around it contain mainly sedimentary rocks. However, there is an important limestone formation and some "stocks" or outcrop igneous formations. Among the most important mountains surrounding Qosqo City, named clockwise are: on the northern side Saqsaywaman, Pukamoqo, Socorro and farther away Senqa (4400 mts., 14432 ft.) and the Fortaleza (4193 mts., 13750 ft.). Advancing to the east side are the Pikol (4482 mts., 14700 ft.) and the range of Pachatusan (4842 mts., 15880 ft.). Towards the Southeast are the Machu Loma, the mythological Wanakauri (4080 mts., 13382 ft.), Santa Ana; farther south is the Anawarque (4050 mts., 13284 ft.), Qachona, and closer the Choqo, Araja, Muyu-Orqo and the Condoroma which closer side to the city is named Araway Qhata where today the sign "Viva el Perú" ("Long life for Peru") is found; to the southwest are the Pukín, Waman Charpa and further away the Mama Simona (4300 mts., 14105 ft.). Dominating the western side are the K'illki and Picchu (3820 mts., 12530 ft.). On the top of the Picchu Mountain today many microwave antennas are placed.
Besides, in the Qosqo Region there are also some very important mountain chains, standing out the Cordillera (Range of Mountains) of Vilcanota towards the city's east and which highest peak is the Ausangate over 6372 mts. (20905 ft.); the Cordillera of Urubamba towards the northwest with its highest peak La Veronica over 5682 mts. (18641 ft.); and the Cordillera of Vilcabamba toward the west and which highest summit is the Salkantay over 6271 mts. (20574 ft.).
BEST ATTRACTIONS OF THE CAPITAL
Cusco`s Cathedra
This is maybe the main building in Cuzco, located right in the Plaza de Armas. It can be visited during mass (6-10am), but be respectful and don't make noise.
Otherwise, you can buy a ticket and do the whole tour, entering by a left side door. "Boleto Turístico" is not admited here; you have to buy the so called "Religious Touristic ticket" that lets you enter a few religious churches and museums.
It was built on the place were once was the Inca Wiracocha Palace and used its basement, as well as some big stones from Sacsayhuaman.
There are many beautiful chapels and images, and some important guys are buried here (Garcilaso de la Vega...)
The Temple of the Sun - Coricancha
Cuzco, the capital of the Incan empire, was built out of stone and adorned with gold. The Coricancha is a fine example of how the fusion of Inca style and Colonial styles of architecture evolved into the Cusco of today. Originally the site was a ceremonial center featuring a number of stone rectangular buildings laid out as to be the convergence of ley lines connected to numerous 'huacas' or power spots.
On the Summer Solstice sun light from the opening in one of the rooms illuminates a specific niche in which sits the Inca chief. The rooms were adorned with elaborate gold ceremonial objects including a huge gold sun disk which was considered sacred. After the Spanish Conquest much of the structure was torn down and reassembled as the Church of Santa Domingo. A considerable amount of the original Inca structure was left intact and integrated into the church structure.
The Temple of the Sun was once the most important temple of the Incas. When the Spanish conquered the Inca Empire, they used the fine Inca stonework to form the base of the Church of Santo Domingo. Inside the church area are some of the buildings built by the Incas that were used by the conquerors for their private quarters.
The temple also served as a tomb for several Incas, or kings. During Inca rule, the Coricancha, or Golden Courtyard, was covered with gold and silver sculptures representing llamas, corn, babies, and the sun.
When the Spaniards conquered Cuzco, the Inca capital, they set about stripping the gold from the temples and melting them down. Legend has it that it took three months to cart all of the gold from the Sun Temple.
Temple of Sacsayhuaman
Near the center. Presents huge monumental stone walls made up of distributed zigzagging in three platforms that have an average of 360 meters long. There are stones of up to 9 meters long and 5 wide.
Tambomachay
known as the baths of the Inca. Through its steps are appreciated waterfalls and crystal reportedly here to worship liquid element.
Fortress Pucapucara
Is located 7 kms. north-east city of Cusco, on the road to Pisac (20 minutes by car and foot to 2 hours), we have named here incaico Quechua means "Red Fortress" because the key to acquire the rocks with the light of twilight.
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