Historical Center of the city of Cusco

“Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO

Shield of the City of Cusco Recovers the historical center of Cusco to walk through the town that the Incas designed. It is walking through colonial buildings built in the royal palaces of the Incas.

What can several alternative circuits on foot know about all these beautiful places marked in the streets? To visit the interior of some of these places, one must pay an admission ticket (see Tourist Ticket)

Parade ground

It occupies the Plaza Huacaypata, a square traced by Manco Capac when founding Cusco in the twelfth century. Around it, the nobles such as the Incas Pachacútec, Sinchi Roca, Viracocha, and Tupac Yupanqui built the royal palaces, Huayna Capac and the Acllahuasi (Temple of the Virgins). It was where the Inti Raymi did celebrate the time of the Incas, the military holidays after the triumph in battle. Since the arrival of the Spanish, the perimeter constructions preserved today, such as the Cathedral, the portals, arches, and large houses, have been somewhat diminished.

Cathedral

Catholic temple was built on the Inca Viracocha royal palace in 1,560 by the Spanish architect Juan Veramendi and then by the master Juan Correa. It is a jewel of colonial architecture, in Baroque style, with ten chapels; it venerated the Lord of the Tremors, patron of Cusco. The main altar does cover with pure silver sheets, the choir is carved, and in front of the altar is a double-row ashlar, a work of art in carving in wood. The plateresque pulpit is a gallery with more than 400 paintings and paintings of the Cusqueña School; the custody is an impressive work of art goldsmith, is solid gold of 27.7 kg, and measures 120 cm. Of height, with incursions of 331 pearls, 263 diamonds, 221 emeralds, 89 amethysts, 43 topazes, 17 brilliant, five sapphires, and one agate. The bell of the tower of the Gospel, called Maria Angola, was cast in bronze and gold, and its sounds are heard 40 km away, in front of the Plaza de Armas.

Church of the Company of Jesus

It is one of the most beautiful in the city of Cusco; it has a central nave with six lateral chapels, underground chapels surrounded by labyrinths, and secret passages, which buried notable characters of the Spanish conquest and colony. The temple does adorn with large canvases and sculptures carved in wood. What was rebuilt in 1651, Located opposite the Plaza de Armas?

La Merced Church and Convent: (1,536)

The temple does adorn with stunning canvases of the Cusqueña School. His most valuable treasure is custody, incredible value, a goldsmith’s piece of gold weighing 22 Kg and measuring 1.3 meters high, which contains two giant pearls and 615 smaller sizes, 1,581 diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and topaz. In the cellars of the church lie the remains of the Spanish conquistadors Diego de Almagro, Almagro El Mozo, and Gonzalo Pizarro. They are located in Mantas s / n, two blocks from the Plaza de Armas.

Church and Convent of Santa Catalina – Acllahuasi

The convent was rebuilt in 1,653, and the church dates back to 1,669. It did build on the Acllahuasi. The chapel of beautiful baroque architecture has a religious museum and colonial art; Located on the corner of Santa Catalina Angosta and Loreto streets. The Acllahuasi (Quechua voice of the chosen ones), or Temple of the Virgins, was the Inca place where the acllas (women determined by their lineage and beauty, offered like eternal wives of the God Inti – the sun). Only the Coya (queen), the Ñustas (princesses), and the Inca king could enter; They lived permanently between 500 and 1000 acllas.

Santo Domingo Church

Located in Plazoleta Santo Domingo, Calle Santo Domingo s / n. This place is the base of the Dominican colonial church and the convent of Santo Domingo, built on the bottom of the Coricancha.

Archeological Museum.

Coricancha (or Koricancha) (Quechua, an enclosure of gold)

The Temple of Inti (the supreme god – the sun), the principal Inca temple, is a jewel of Inca architecture, with built-in blocks of carved granite and melted gold at the joints of the blocks. Inside the temple was a garden with trees, birds, animals, etc. A cornice of gold surrounded the temple, and all the walls did cover with gold plates. A large gold disc (Punchau) represented Inti in the sanctuary. The mummies of the Inca kings to Huayna Capac (12th king) were seated in golden chairs and adorned with jewels, expressing being alive.

Attached to the Coricancha were the temples of Quilla (moon), Illapa (ray), the stars, Chuychu, and the lodgings of Uíllac Umu (supreme priest). At the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, he was savagely looted and demolished to banish Inti’s veneration. On it did build the Catholic temple of Santo Domingo.

Temple and Convent of San Francisco

Located in Plaza San Francisco s / n. (Visits: L-S 9: 00-17: 30.)
Founded in 1.645, it has two facades and a unique tower of the stonework of the old Spanish style. In the convent’s interior stands a monumental canvas by Juan Espinoza de los Monteros measuring 12 x 9 m and portraying the genealogy of the Franciscan family.

San Blas

The artistic district, the bohemian neighborhood, from narrow and tall streets, small and beautiful squares, and a beautiful Paqcha. Many artists and artisans live there, so the workshops of famous artisans such as the Mendivil, Olave, and Mérida are located—panoramic views of Cusco. San Blas has various hotels, restaurants, and entertainment centers.

Church of San Blas

This temple does locate in the neighborhood of San Blas. A colonial Catholic temple built in 1562 has a pulpit, an invaluable wood carving jewel representing images of saints and angels; the author discussed Juan Tuirupata, Luis Montes, or Diego de Arias. Also outstanding is the altarpiece of the high altar and the paintings and canvases that adorn it.

Archbishop’s Palace

It is located in Herrajes s / n and Hatunrumiyoc street. A beautiful colonial building, which emphasizes its cover and its balconies. Headquarters of the Museum of Religious Art, the exhibition of religious art from the colonial period. It did build on the royal palace of the Inca Sinchi Roca. On one of its megalithic walls, on the side, of Hatun Rumiyoc Street, is the famous “stone of the 12 angles”, a block of cut stone and carved that has 12 vertices and is assembled in perfect form, not being able to get in A razor blade between its joints.

House of the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega

He did locate at the junction of Garcilaso and Heladeros streets. Headquarters of the Regional Historical Museum of Cusco since 1.984, the exhibition of pictorial works of the Cusqueña School. The Inca Garcilaso (1539-1616) was the son of the Spanish conquistador Sebastián Garcilaso de la Vega and a royal Inca princess, the Palla Isabel Chimpu Ocllo. He was a chronicler of the Spanish conquest, the first literary man of America, Author of “The Royal Commentaries of the Incas.”  This work is the testimony of tearing, exploitation of his country’s misfortunes, personal conflicts, the narration and exaltation of Tahuantinsuyo, and the painful justification of the Spanish conquest. He lived his childhood in this house, a shrine of colonial art, beautifully restored.

House of the Admiral

(S. XVII) Admiral Francisco Aldrete Maldonado, an old colonial house with a stone facade that shows the nobiliary shields, has beautiful cofferdams. The Archaeological Museum of the National University of San Antonio de Abad exhibits archaeological pieces of the Inca culture and objects and furniture of the colonial era. Located on Calle del Almirante No. 103.

House of the Four Busts

A beautiful colonial house that the legend says belonged to the brothers Pizarro, Spanish conquerors of Peru. On its cover, it has four busts and a shield. It is currently a hotel. Located in the street San Agustín N ° 400.

Within the historic center, it does also recommended to visit the colonial mansions of the Marquises of San Juan de Buenavista and Rocafuerte, the house of the Counts of Cabrera, house Concha, the place of the Counts of Peralta, the area of the Marquis of Picoaga, the site of the Marquis of Valleumbroso.

Monument to the Inca Pachacútec

They were erected in honor of one of the greatest Incas of the Tahuantinsuyo, a statesman and a great conqueror.

Paqchas

It did build in the last years, similar to those in the Inca city of Cusco. They are fountains or springs of water in which What worshiped water worship. The most important are Pumaqchupan (corner of Av. El Sol and Tullumayo), Pumacpampa (Santa Catalina Street), and the San Blas neighborhood.