CUSCO: General Information

Cusco: Historical Capital of Peru and main touristic center. Ancient Capital of the Inca Empire, preserves the ciclopean stone foundation and plant of many Inca monuments. Monumental City declared Cultural Patrimony of the World by UNESCO in 1983. It was named QOSQO in the time and language of the Incas, Quechua, because it was from where all the roads departed to the Four Regions of the Tawantinsuyo. From the colonial era stand out imponent religious constructions that rise over the foundations of inca buildings. In the XVI and XVII centuries the city was the melting pot from where the Cusquenian School of painting and sculpture irradiated all over the world.

Cusco means "Center or Navel of the World", as a matter of fact, its geographical location was at the center of the marvelous Inca Empire, one of the only societies of the ancient world that achieves integration with similar characteristics to the modern State, all the way to the borders of the four great regions which conformed it: Chinchaysuyu, Antisuyu, Qollasuyu and Contisuyu.

The foundation of Cusco is atributed to Manqo Qhapaq. It has a regular outline, it was built surrounding The Auqaypata (Today's Main Square) and it was made up of two zones Hanan Qosqo (High Zone) and Hurin Qosqo (Low Zone). Its remarkable buildings made up with huge hard-stone blocks, amazingly fit together, were truthful ciclopean constructions corresponding to the poligonal order. Their lower parts were used by spanish colonists to build over them their palaces and churches, which gives Cusco a unique architectural image in the world.

GEO-STATYSTICAL DATA

THE DEPARTMENT OF CUSCO
Location:
The modern Department of Cusco is located en the South East of the national territory of Peru, expanding from the Andean region to the Amazon plains.

Borders:
To the North: Ucayali and Junin; to the East: Madre de Dios and Puno; to the South: Puno and Arequipa; and to the West: Apurimac and Ayacucho.

Surface:
72,104.41 Km2 (Source INEI)

Population:
1'158,142 Habitants (Source INEI)

Provinces:
(13) Acomayo, Anta, Calca, Canas, Canchis, Chumbivilcas, Cusco, Espinar, La Convencion, Paruro, Paucartambo, Quispicanchi and Urubamba.

Agricultural Production:
In the low valleys and high jungle: Diverse fruits, tea, coffee, cacao, sugar cane, and chestnut. In the interandean valleys: Corn, potatoe, wheat, barley, green beans, beans, quinua, kiwicha, canigua, olluco, fruits and others.

Mining Production:
Copper, gold, nickel, cobalt. Besides in its territory the giant natural gas field of Camisea is located, considered the most important energy source found in Peru in the last twenty years.

Live stock Production:
Dairy cows, sheep, pigs, alpacas, llamas and vicunas.

Fish production: Trout, mackerel.

CITY OF CUSCO

Location and altitude:
The City of Cusco is on the parallels 13°30'45' southern latitude and 71°58'33' western longitude from the Grenwich Meridian; It is located in the central part of the Department of Cusco, in Peru. Its altitude is 3,390 m.a.s.l. (reference benchmark: Main Square).

Population:
304,152 habitants.

Weather:
The weather in Cusco in generally dry and warm. It has two well defined climatic seasons: One dry season from april to october, with sunny days, cold nights and average temperature of 13°C. This time of the year is more appropiate to visit the city.
The other season is rainy, from november to march, with abundant rain precipitation and average temperature of 12°C.
The "soroche" or altitude sickness is one contingency to take into account by the visitor. It is suggested to rest the first day and have light meals. Warm clothes are a must during the night, as well as sunblock and shades during the day.

Geography:
Cusco, the "Puma City", has a unique location, it is in the upper center of the historical valley by excellence in Peru. Two snowcapped mountains are its eternal guardians: Salqantay to the Northwest, and Ausangate to the Southeast.

High mountains and hills surround the city: Saqsaywaman, Pukamoqo (from which top the statue of the White Christ donated by the Palestinian settlers in 1944 is watching over), Socorro, Picol, Pachatusan (behind its top the first solar rays appear), Muyu Orqo, Condoroma, Choqo, Qachona, Puquin, K'illque, Picchu, Senqa (clouds over its top annouce rain), Mama Simona, Wanakauri and Mama Anawarque (name to the wife of the greatest Inca: Pachakuteq).

Hydrography:
Through the ground of the its valley flow several creeks: Wankaro (from west to east), Qorimach'agway (Golden Serpent), Ch'unchulmayu (from northeast to southeast), Saphy or "root" in English (from northwest to southeast), and the Tullumayo. The two last ones join in Pumaqchupan forming the Watanay.

Main Honorific Titles:
"CUZCO, FIRST CITY AND FIRST VOTE OF ALL CITIES IN NUEVA CASTILLA", confered by Royal Order of April 24, 1540 in Madrid, Spain.

"THE VERY SIGNIFICANT, VERY NOBLE, AND VERY LOYAL CITY OF CUZCO, THE MAIN AND HEAD OF THE KINGDOMS OF PERU", Royal Order given in Madrid on July 19, 1540.

"CUSCO, ARCHEOLOGICAL CAPITAL OF AMERICA", title confered to Cusco by the XXV International Congress of Americanists celebrated in Argentina. The Congress of Peru supported the agreement by Law 7688 on January 23, 1933.

"CUSCO, CULTURAL PATRIMONY OF THE WORLD" title granted by the Seventh Convention of Mayors of Great Cities of the World, that met in Milan, Italy between April 17 and 19 of 1978.

"CUSCO, CULTURAL PATRIMONY OF THE WORLD" granted by UNESCO on December 9, 1983.

"CUSCO, CULTURAL PATRIMONY OF THE NATION" Law 23765 of December 30, 1983. "CUSCO, HISTORICAL CAPITAL OF PERU", title granted by the Political Constitution of Peru, Article 49, in 1993.

Sister Cities
Cusco holds sisterhood by history, tradition and culture with important cities of the world, in parenthesis appears the date of declared sisterhood:
La Paz, Bolivia (January 3, 1984), Baguio, Philipines (August 23, 1984), Samarcanda, Russia (August 4, 1986), Mexico City, Mexico (June 17, 1987), Kyoto, Japan (September 19, 1987), Cracow, Polland (November 8, 1988), New jersey City, USA (November 8, 1988), Chartres, France (October 21, 1989), Kesong, Korea (October 22, 1990, Athens, Greece (September 18, 1991), Moscow, Russia (June 23, 1993), Santa Barbara, California, USA (August 29, 1993), La Habana, Cuba (November 22, 1993), Belem, Palestine (October 22, 1996), Jerusalem, Israel (March 23, 1996), Copan, Honduras (April 11, 1996), X'ian, China (June 21, 1998) and Cuenca, Ecuador (March 14, 2000).

Access and transportation
Cusco is accessible by land and air. By airway there is a regular daily service Lima-Cusco-Lima which is a one way 50 minute flight; CuscoArequipa, a 35 minute flight. It also exists regular airway service to Juliaca (Puno), Ayacucho and Madre de Dios.

By land transportation it is possible to arrive to Cusco by the following alternatives:

Lima-Huancayo-Ayacucho-Cusco, with a length of 1,160 km. Estimated travel time of 28 to 32 hours.

Lima-Pisco-Ayacucho-Cusco, with a lenght of 1,140 km. Estimated travel time of 23 to 30 hours.

Lima-Nazca-Puquio-Abancay-Cusco, with a lenght of 1,105 km. Estimated travel time 22 to 24 hours.

Lima Arequipa-Cusco, with a length of 1,650 Km. Estimated travel time 28 to 30 hours.

Arequipa-Cusco, with a length of 450 km. Estimated travel time 12 hours.

Communication
Cusco has fixed and cellular telephone and Internet services all around the city (Average charge: S/. 2.00 per hour).

People can make international and national teleplone calls from public pay phones. The code numbers for the different countries and cities appear in most of the booths. To make an international telephone call dial: 00 + country code + city code + telephone number. To make a national telephone call dial: 0 + city code + telephome number.

The public pay phones accept both coins and cards, which are sold in stands, stores and supermarkets.

Postal Service
The postal service to the different provinces, departments of Peru and foreign countries is given in the building of the Postal Enrterprise SERPOST located on Sol Avenue. There are also private courier services.

Radio and Television Stations, Newspapers:
Cusco has several several AM and FM radio broadcasters, both local, as well as satellite connected national broadcasters from Lima.

The national television stations from Lima are: Television Nacional del Peru (Channel 4), Panamericana Television (Channel 5), Canal A (Channel 7), ATV (Channel 9), Red Global (Channel 11) and Frecuencia Latina (Channel 13).

The local television stations are: Compania de Television Cusquena CTC (Channel 2), TEVESUR (Channel 9), Mundo TV (Channel 21), Solar and America TV (Channel 25), and channel 49.

There is also cable TV service provided by CableMagico. Which has up to 60 stations with CNN, BBC, DEUSCHTSE WELLE, TNT, CINEMAX, HTV, DISCOVERY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, TRAVEL CHANNEL, FILM AND ARTS, ESPN, among others.

The local newspapers: El Comercio, El Sol and El Diario del Cusco are sold in newsstands around the city, together with with national newspapers, international magazines, and local bilingual publications.

TOURIST INFORMATION
ATTENTION TO THE VOYAGER: Peru has the Service of Assistance and Information to the
Tourist, iperu, where you can ask for objective and impartial tourist information, as well as assistance if the the tourist services received were not provided according to the information given or the contract signed.

Contact the 24 hour service at national level to the phone (01) 574-8000.

E-mail: iperu@promperu.gob.pe.

In Cusco you can contact this service at Velasco Astete Airport, main lobby, telephone (084)237364, attention from Monday to Sunday, from 6:00 to 13:30 and at the Main Square Office, Portal Carrizos 250, telephone (084)252974/234498 from Monday to Sunday from 8:00 to 20:00.
The City Hall of Cusco, through the City Festivities Enterprise, EMUFEC, also provides with tourist information and all the information regarding local holidays, festivities and events, in its office at Calle Santa Catalina Ancha 333 (Building of the City Library), telephone (084)226711.

You can find tourist information by INTERNET in the following web sites:
• www.peru.org.pe
• www.rcp.net.pe
• www.emufec.gob.pe

OTHER EMERGENCY TELEPHONES
Cusco City Hall : 227152 240006
International Operator : 108
Train Service : 221931
Tourism Police : 249654
Police Cars : 105
Fire Station : 116

ATTRACTIONS
The City of Cusco is the unavoidable departing place to visit its vast patrimony. From here you can visit the fascinating Sacred Valley of the Incas, since only within 120 km most of the archaelogical sites are located. Among them, Machupicchu.

Main Square
Named Auqaypata in the Inca times, it is the heart of Cusco. Its houses with beautiful porches, balconies and fences, its buildings constructed over the inca palaces, have an unequivocal colonial air. The Plaza de Armas or Plaza Mayor, was the witness of many historical events. The pompous ceremony of the Inti Raymi was celebrated there in the Inca times, Pizarro celebrated the spanish foundation of Cusco there on March 23, 1534. In 1781 the rebel Inca Tupac Amaru II and his family were executed there.

The Cathedral, the Temples of Triunfo Jesus, Maria and Jose, and the Compania de Jesus, are unmistakable elements of its majestic architecture.

The Basilica Cathedral
It holds one of the major collections of colonial art of Peru. It was built in 94 years, originally over the Inca construction of the Sunturwasi, nowadays the Chapel of Triunfo. Afterwards the crown ordered the new Cathedral to be built on the Kiswarkancha estate, old Inca neighborhood and palace of the Inca Wiraqocha.

The Cathedral has a rectangular plant with processional halls of the lost and ambulatory steps, it` has a capitular room, five naves, sacristy, eleven lateral chapels and communication with the Temples of Triunfo and Jesus, Maria and Jose.

The outdoors and indoors facade belong to the renaissant style. The maximum height is 32.97 meters. The interior is profusively decorated with carving on cedar and alder wood. Outstand the exquisite carvings by Martin Torres and Melchor Huaman. Among this art works are of importance the chorus, the pulpit, as well as the carvings in wood of the altars and furniture.

There is a large number of paintings, as well as works in repousse on silver, being of singular importance the processional carriage, the sculptures pedestals and carrying platforms, and other ornaments.

Among the most important lateral chapels outstand the dedicated to Virgen de los Remedios, Virgen de Chokonchaqa, the Chapel of the Inmaculate Conception also called "the cute" of the Cathedral. In the cathedral is worshipped the "Lord of Earthquakes", Sworn Patron of Cusco.

In the tower of the Gospel it is installed the famed bell "Maria Angola" (Major Bell of the Cathedral of the Ascent of Our Lady), one of the biggest in the world, which ringing calls the people to religious celebrations, the procession of the "Lord of the Eartquakes", the Corpus Christi, or when the presence of the people is required in trascendental times for Cusco.

Temple Compania de Jesus
It was built by the priests of the Jesuit Order, that arrived to Cusco in 1571. In 1576 they began the construction in the Amaru Kancha, Palace of the Inca Wayna Qhapaq.

The earthquake of 1650, severely affected its construction, reiniating the new building in 1661. The civil works were finalized in 15 years, being the opening ceremony on August 19, 1668.

The plant is a latin cross, with only one nave, two towers bull-eyed style that are framed adjusting to all fronts, the cross is crowned by a stone dome of great architectonic handling of unique baroque style, the stone carving of the supporting upper columns are also of a remarkable baroque style.

The altars are of cedar wood and most of them are covered by a golden outer skin. There is a large number of canvases, some of them representing the wedding between Isabel Ñusta Princess of Peru (sister of one of the last Incas) with Diego Ofias de Loyola (nephew of Saint Ignacio de Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order).

Among the most relevant sculptures we have the ones of San Jeronimo, San Francisco and the Lord of Burgos, a statue of Christ which has the singularity of having a metal nail in each foot.

Temple and Convent of La Merced
The ancient cloister and temple were opened until 1650, year they were unhabitabled by the earthquake. In 1675 the reconstruction was finished with the outstanding participation of indigen man power.

The facade is of great beauty, specially the only tower of an exceptional work in stone of baroque style. The plant is comformed of three naves with stoned columns and archs, the first cloister with very rich ornamentation in carved cedar wood.

The most remarkable gold work in Cusco is the Custody of La Merced. This unvaluable work of religious art has to styles: the upper section is baroque and was created by the spanish artist Juan de Olmos in 1720 and the renaissant lower section was created by the cusquenian artist Manuel de la Piedra in 1805. It weighs 22 kilos 200 grams, it is 1.30 meters tall and has 1,500 diamonds, 615 pearls as well as rubies, topazes and emeralds.

Temple and Convent of San Francisco
Founded by the fransican priests in 1645 with two facades and one tower, all made in stone in old spanish style. The civil works were finished in 1652. It shows singular attractions such as its catacombs, religious paintings and carving on wood.

Inside the convent, there is a spectacular and monumental canvas, that is 12 by 9 meters big, representing the genealogical tree of franciscan family with more than 600 unrepeated characters, painted by the painter Juan Espinoza de los Monteros.

Temple and Convent of Santa Clara
The foundation was begun in the Santa Clara bolevard in 1558. Half-breed and indigen manpower participated in the architecture.

It has a formidable high altar with venecian mirrors, that make it the only sample of this style in Cusco. It was built by Pedro de Oquendo.

Temple of San Pedro
It was built on the same site of the Hospital de los Naturales, in 1668. The interior is sober. The church has many pictorial works, sculptures, carvings and important golden works. The pulpit was carved by the same artist in charge of the construction, Juan Tomas Tuyro Tupac.

Temple and Convent of Santa Catalina
The beginning of its foundation is in 1605, over the estates of the Aqlla Wasi or House of the Virgins of the Sun. The architecture of Santa Catalina corresponds to the late renaissance, with the presence of roman type archeries. It has a capitular hall with fresco paintings and other works of art like magnificent gold work, standing out the Custody; also textiles, sculptures, golden work, and mud altars. We can also add valuable canvases.

An interesting museum opens inside the con vent.

Temple of Santo Domingo

Built over the foundations of the Inca Temple of Qoricancha.

The dominican order was founded in Cusco in 1534. It was the first Convent that this order stablished in Peru. The earthquakes of 650 and 1950 severely affected its construction, so it had to be restored twice.

The Temple of Santo Domingo has identical disposition and form as La Merced and San Francisco. The building preserves the charac-
teristys of XVI century architecture and all the evolution of Cusco's architecture is simbolized by this building of superb handling.

The tower of the temple is profusively baroque, it belongs to the beginning of the XVIII century. It is a monument of peruvian rchitecture by itself. It is also remarkable the ceiling of the entrance hall of the temple. Another art jewels preserved by the dominicans is the sculpture of Santo Domingo de Guzman carved in 1698 by the indian sculptor Melchor Huaman as well as paintings that correspond to the famed Juan de Espinoza and Diego Quispe Ttito.

Qorikancha, The Great Temple of the Sun The Qorikancha was, without any doubt, the most fabulous, biggest and richest temple con-
structed by the Incas. At its top time became the most formidable work of the artistic genious and creative power of the Tawantinsuyo. As an architectonical work of art it has the finest technologycal finished work of the tawantisuyans and from the religious point of view was the most important of all temples, where the high priest lived and taught the cult to the sun, accompanied by other priests and women specially chosen for the solar deity.

According to Inca cosmogony, the Qorikancha was located in the center of the world. From there departed the "ceques" or trails, that were the connection of the temple with all sacred sites. The four main "ceques" constitued the limit of the four parts of the mithological Inca World (Tawantinsuyo).

The most important sections of the Temple of the Sun, were the royal accomodations and those consacrated to the Moon, the Stars, the Rainbow and the semicircular fortified tower, that caractherizes the monument from outside.
San Blas

The parish was constructed in the XVI century, being the oldest in Cusco.

Inside it, we find the Pulpit of San Blas, the most extraordinory work of artistic carpentry, of spanish churrigruresco. It is the most impressive carving on cedar that is found in Peru, done by cusquenian hands.

The golden high altar is of baroque style.

The San Blas neighborhood, known as the "artisans neighborhood", is one of Cusco's most characterized, with typical uphill narrow streets and old spanish type "casonas" built over inca walls. From the upper part we have one of the most beautiful views of the city. Practically all the neighborhood is a permanent art show, since there you can find the creative talent of the best imageneries, culptors, painters and ceramists who expose their artistic work every Saturday on the San Blas Square and on december 24 in the anturantikuy on the Main Square.

On the San Blas Square, a beautiful ornamental fountain is located facing the city, it is also the stage for different artistical and Cultural events.
Hatun Rumiyoq Street

Together with Inti K'ijllo, is the most transited street by tourists. In one of the stoned walls of the Palace of Inca Roca (today's Archbishop Palace) the famous Stone of Twelve Angles is located, enigmatic lithic element which lightens the admiration of people, amazingly fit together all around with other huge stones.
Furthermore, the street is the access way to San Blas neighborhood from downtown Cusco.

MUSEUMS

Museum Inca
It is located in the old Palace of the Admiral, between the streets Cordoba del Tucuman and Ataud. It keeps valuable pieces of gold work, ceramics and textiles, funeral bundles, qeros and other elements from the Inca Culture. Museum of Religious Art
It is located in the Archbishop Palace, on the corner of the streets Herrajes and Hatun Rumiyocc. It keeps valuable paintings of the Cusquenian School of painting and the collection of paintings of Corpus Christi.

Regional Historical Museum
It is located in the House of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, on Heladeros street, it keeps colonial paintings and furniture.

Other museums are: Museum of Natural History, in the Paraninfo Universitario (Main Square), Site Museum of the Qorikancha (basement of the Qorikancha park), Museum of the Convent of Santa Catalina, Museum of Contemporary Art of the City Hall Palace and Museum of Popular Art in the American Institute of Art.

Monument to the Inca Pachakuteq
It is the first attraction any visitor can see entering the city from the Velasco Astete Airport. The statue is 22.40 meters tall and was built in 1992 to commemorate the 500 years of the so called "Encounter of the Two Worlds"

COLONIAL MANTIONS

House of the Cuatro Bustos
Located on San Agustin street. In the porch of stone cou can see four sculps, one big and one small coat of arms, Beautiful colonial mantion, that nowdays is a hotel.

Cabrera House
Beautiful house located on Nazarenas Square.

House of the' Marquis of Picoaga
It was ordered to be built by the Marquis Jose Picoaga in the XVII century. Located on Santa Teresa street, it is a hotel in the present days. The House of the Seven Pumas is located across the street.

ORNAMENTAL FOUNTAINS
As a tribute from the people of Cusco to their ancestry, in different places of
the city ornamental water fountains have been built, considering that the Inca Culture worshipped water. Among the most important we can mention, the ornamental fountain of Pumaqchupan (at the entrance of the city from the Velasco Astete Airport), the ornamental fountain of San Blas, the fountain of the City Hall Palace on Regocijo Square.

HANDICRAFT WORK
Besides its architectonical patrimony, Cusco is well kown all over the world for its beautiful handicrafts. Coming from the fusion of two cultures, the popular arts emerge in different forms, preserving the technic, style and skills of ancestral times.

The most important handicraft works in the Department and City of Cusco are: the imagery (long necked virgins, images of baby Christ, and scenes of typical customs), popular painting, ceramics, silver work and jewelry, textiles, leather repousse, typical outfits, and carving on wood.

The main places of handicraft production are the Provinces of Canchis, Quispicanchi, Paucartambo, Calca, Pisac, Chinchero, Urubamba and Chumbivilcas, where different handicraft fairs are held during the year.

There are permanent handicraft fairs every Thursday and Sunday in Chinchero (Urubamba) and Pisac (Calca).

Handicraft Center in Cusco
In our city the diverse, beautiful and traditional handicraft work of Cusco, can be found in the Handicraft Center, where handicrafts from all over the Department of Cusco are shown and sold. This modern building built by the City is located on the last block of Sol Avenue.

ARCHAELOGICAL ATTRACTIONS

Saqsaywaman
Very important archaelogical group located to the north of Cusco's Main Square, following and next to the Qolqanpata neighborhood, with which it is connected by an uphill street of only one block. If you go walking it is not apart from the city. If you go by car

Saqsaywaman is one kilometer from the parish of San Cristobal. Saqsaywaman is a quechua word that comes from the composition of the word "saqsay" that means to be fullfilled and "waman" that means falcon, that was an abundant prey bird in the andes, and was the protective entity of the first Inca Manco Capac.

Saqsaywaman was the "Royal House of the Sun" in the Inca times and it is conformed by different sections:

The fortified towers, from which only the foundations remain, they were three according to Garcilaso. The three fortified towers names were : Muyuc-marca (circular place), Paucar-marca and Sallaj-marca or rough place.

The Group of the Rooms, beatiful rooms with a view of the city.

The Strongholds, which were built in three levels, with a broken outline of straight lines forming in and out corners of obtuse angles.

The construction is oriented east to west in front of the plain of Chukipampa or Plains of the Royal Spears. The walls are made of huge limestone stones, impressive irregular polyhedrons fit together with perfection, with polished and convex external surface, some stones present brackets that increase their enigmatic character. The extraordinary size of the stones (some of them 5 meters tall and with a weight of 350 Tons), the perfection of the fitness of the polyhedrons with irregular sides and angles provokes the unanimous admiration for centuries.

Other interesting sections of Sagsaywaman are the Rumipunku, the entrances, the great wall, the terraces and water canals, the Suchuna, The Inca throne, the Warmi K'ajchana, The Inca Bath, the amphitheatre, the Chincanas, the Tired Stone.

The other attractions that are part of the Archaelogical Park of Saqsaywaman are:
• Qolqanpata.
• Big Q'enqo and Little Q'enqo.
• Laqo.
• K'usilluchayoq.
• Lanlakuyoq.
• Puka-Pukara.
• Tanpumach'ay or Tambomachay.
• Laullipata or Siete Bateas.
• Chakan or Chacan.

Big Q'enqo and Little Q'enqo
The word Q'enqo means laberynth, twisted with many turns, it is the name of two archeological sites close to each other that are based on enormous limestone outburst of the Yuncaypata geological formation. All the days. The archeological sites were very important in Inca times as sanctuaries.

We can sinthetize Q'enqo in the following sections: the Intiwatana, constitued of two big stones of cilindrical form, through which the Amautas (teachers) measured time, stablished the seasons, the solstices and equinoxes.

The zigzagged canal located near the Intiwatana, starts in a little hole, and it goes downwards in an inclined plane and crooled line, that separates afterwards. One of the canals conducted the liquid to an underground chamber or Room of Sacrifices.

The amphitheatre, the isolated steep rock occupy a big space, they are in front and to the east of the great rock, there are 19 uncompleted great niches and a semicircular stone 55 meters long. Presiding all the site, in front of the curved wall and with considerable free space, the isolated 6 meter tall rock is located, over a solid rectangular pedestal, monolith that clearly shows it had been a great sculpture and it has signs it was badly beaten by the eradicator of idolatries.

The Room of Sacrifices is an underground chamber carved in the inside, lower portion of the great rock.

The solid stoned table of the underground chamber could habe been to embalm the bodies of the noble or as the place of human sacrifices.

Puka-Pukara.
This archaelogical site is located 7 Km. from the City of Cusco, on the road that leads to Pisac. Its name means "Red Fortress". It is composed by a little square and from any point there is communication with the Tambomachay fortified tower located 1 km. away.
In Puka-Pukara there are rooms, interior squares, baths, canals, high towers and a road that is easyly recognized. The buildings are made of little to middle sized stones, with an slightly rough surface which is different from the other archaelogical sites of the area.
There also exist stairs, canals carved in the stone, narrow streets and small terraces.

Tambomachay
Located 8 Km. from the City of Cusco and 1 Km. from Puka-Pukara, on the paved road from Cusco to Pisac. Its name comes from "tanpu" which means colective or temporal lodge and "machay" that means resting place. The name comes all the way from Inca times. Tradition knows this place as "The Inca Bath" and could have been a resting place.

THE SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS

One hour by car from the City of Cusco we encounter the paradisiacal valley of Urubamba River or Sacred Valley of the Incas.

To visit it there are several possibilities being the most adequate going by car from CuscoPisac-Calca-Urubamba-Chinchero-Cusco, that covers a distance of aproximately 140 Km.

In the Inca times, the Sacred Valley was the rich lands a high quality corn is grown, known all over the workd by its big and nutritious grain.

Its geography is dominated by the Vilcanota mountain range, agricultural terraces and first level tourist attractions. Its unique conformation make it ideal for adventure sports such as rafting, mountain biking, hiking and hang gliding.

Pisac
Located 33 km from Cusco, this pictoresque city is famous for its handicrafts and its Sunday market where all the "Varayoq" or mayors from the different towns and communities of the region come to church, dressed up in their best outfits and holding a wooden stick as a sign of power.

The superb stoned archaelogical site located in Pisac, including the Intiwatana, is in the high part of the Sacred Valley, presenting an splendid group of agricultural terraces, stairs, monolithic porches, and polished stone rectangular rooms. From the town you can get to the archaelogical site following a 5 km. stoned path or a paved road of 10 km.

Calca
Located 18 km. from Pisac. Its main archaelogical attraction are the ruins of Huch'uy Qosqo, located on the high plains over the valley and from where you can get a beautiful panorama. In Calca they are also located the medicinal hot springs of Machaqancha.

Yucay
19 km. from Calca, with excellent weather and scenery, it was the reason why the Incas chose it as resting place from the hard agricultural labour. It has important Inca vestiges, in the main square the walls and niches are similar to those found in Chinchero or Qolcanpata. Here the Inca Sayri Tupac stablished its kingdom.

Urubamba
The "Pearl of the Vilcanota" is located 3 km from Yucay, it is a resort to sun bath and rest, with beautiful country sites and scenery.

Ollantaytambo
From Urubamba there is a 21 km. paved road that leads to Ollantaytambo. The typical town is located to the northern extreme of the Valley. It was named like that to honor the warrior Ollanta, famous for his romance with the daughter of Inca Pachakuteq, Kusi Qoyllur.

One of its best preserved areas is located north of the Hanan Huacaypata Plaza, conformed by 15 blocks of spanish mantions built over walls of carved stone. Up on the hill the archaelogical site is built, stand out the buildings of Temple of the Sun, the Royal Room or Manay Racay, the Incawatana and the Princess Baths. It is amazing the six huge stones perfectly fit together, we can add the enigmatic "tired stones" constitued by fifty enormous rocks of rectangular form, polished and extracted from the quarry but left on the way.

Machupicchu
A quechua word, literally translated as Old Top, it is an amazing Inca city located northeast from the City of Cusco, 112.5 km. by railroad. This corresponds to the Machupicchu bridge train station, from where visitors take the bus taking an uphill 8 Km. road to the prehispanic monument.

From the central part of the Vilcanota mountain range emerges a platform like geological formation to the north, molding small hills and plains that was used by old peruvians of the region to build what is nowadays known as Machupicchu. The last part of this formation to the north, after narrowing , the mountain rises again forming a cone pressed by both sides, known as Wayna Picchu.
The inca city is composed fundamentally of two sectors, the northern or urban and the southern or rural and agricultural area. To the north we appreciate the buildings and to the south the agricultural terraces.

Considered by its imponent presence and scenery one of the greatest civil works done by the human being genious, since it represents his triumph over the heights. It is the pride of Peru and Cusco, as the Great Civilization of the Tawantinsuyo. heritage to the world.

Machupicchu is at a 3 hour distance by railroad, you can also go by helicopter (30 minutes flight) or hiking (4 days along the Inca Trail, from km. 88).

Historical Sanctuary of Machupicchu
Stablished by Supreme Decret No. 001-81-AA from January 8, 1981 and declared Cultural Patrimony of the World by UNESCO in 1983, the Historical Sanctuary of Machupicchu covers and area of 32,592 Hectares, and has more relevance than a simple archaelogical group. By its excellent location is a natural reserve of great value. The sanctuary is located in the eastern slope of the Vilcabamba mountain range, which is limited by the rivers Apurimac and Urubamba.

The natural scenery is extraordinary in its beautity and spectaculariety, with great geographical accidents, a corrugated surface, with granitic mountains with almost vertical sides and slopes, and chilling terraces. The weather and the soil, main factor of the habitat are very varied, which contributes to its diversity in a relatively small territory.

The Historical Sanctuary covers a multiplicity of architectonic and archaelogical groups, in the valley we can find Salapunku, Qhanabamba, Pinchaunuyuk, Wayraq Punku, Qoriwayrachina, Q'ente, Llaqtapata, Chogesuysuy Intiwatana and others. At medium height in the mountains we find Machupicchu, Winay Wayna, Inka Raqay, Pata Wasi, Runku Ragay Inti Pata, Killapata and others. At greater height we find Wayraq Tanpu, Phuyupatamarka, Sayaqmarka, Waynapicchu, Wayna Q'ente, Willqaraqay and others.

Inca Trail
One of the main paths of the Park is nowadays known as Inca Trail, it is one of the most famous hiking paths in the world. One of sportsmen and tourists favorite it is 45 km long, it starts on km 88 of the railroad, in Qoriwayrachina and finishes in the old city. The trail has signs, it is not dangerous, the way is restored, there is police, medical and porter service. The train stops at the station of Qoriwayrachina (km 88) between nine and ten in the morning. The hiker crosses to the other side of Urubamba river by a bridge, this is the farm house of Q'ente, where the hiking starts, walking 3 km counter the river stream we arrive to the archaelogical group of Llagtapata, we cross the Kusichaca creek and after walking another 8 km. We get to Wayllabamba or Patawasi (present town) where we can find food and other supplies for the trip. From this point there is a steep way up to Warmiwanusqa mountain pass which after hiking 10 km is the highest point of the trip with an altitude of 4,200 m.a.s.l. Here we rest for a moment, there is no camping because of the cold and the height. From this mountain pass we descend to a short plain with a slope and a river called Pakaymayu and we go up again to the archaelogical group of Runkuraqay, hiking for 5 km. We continue arriving to the next mountain pass called Runkuraqay, which is 3,900 m.a.s.l. From this point the trip is going down and along a typical inca stoned trail we arrive to the archaelogical group of Sayak Marka. After walking 6 km from Runkuraqay. Continuing now over a land with few ups and downs, we get to another archaelogical group, this is Phuyupata Marka. From this point we hike another 3 km arriving to Winay Wayna. From this beautiful archaelogical site we hike another 3 km along an inca path with no slope, then we go up again for 1 Km. climbing some inca stoned stairs, getting to the Intipata pass. To the north and looking down we can see the inca city of Machupicchu, which is visible between several mountains and creeks, in an unbelievable scenery. We finally hike 1 km going down (Taken from the book Machupicchu and the Inca Trail by Ph.D. Victor Angles Vargas).

There is reglamentation for the use of the Inca Trail mainly intended to preserve its fauna and flora. After visiting the Inca Trail and Machupicchu the visitor can finish this unforgetable trip taking a relaxing dip in the hot springs of Aguas Calientes, 2 km from the train station.

Chinchero
The paved road gets to the native town of Chinchero, that is located 28 Km. from Cusco. In Chinchero we find the vestiges of the royal farm of the Inca Tupac Yupanqui, it also has a beautiful colonial church built over the inca foundation.

One of the main charms of this town is its Sunday market, originally a place of swapping agricultural products from the people of the valley and the ones of the high plains. It is a handicraft and textile center, since these products are made with ancestral technichs.

Maras
Little town located 40 km from Cusco on the road from Cusco to Urubamba. Its attraction, besides the colonial church, are the salt pools located near the town and which are the main production activity. Their exploitation corresponds to precolonial times and the scenery the pools offer is simply marvelous.

Moray
Located 7 km from Maras, you can get to this place through a dirt road. It is famous for the amphitheatre type conformed by circular terraces are built over supporting walls filled with agricultural land and with complex irrigation mechanisms.

ATTRACTIONS T EAST OF THE CITY

Departing from Cusco towards Sicuani and Juliaca through the paved road, you can visit different towns and touristic sites, admire the typical outfit of the people, most of them in agricultural, live stock raising and handicraft labours. Besides they have a rich folklore and customs that become celebrations that take place all year long. We can mention:

San Sebastian
Located 5 km from Cusco, it has a beautiful temple built in the XVI century that was reconstructed in the XVII century.

Saylla
Agricultural and live stock raising town, charcterized by its restaurants that make a delicious fried pork dish called "chicharrones".

Tipon
On a 4 km side road located 23 km from Cusco that takes you to an important archaelogical site composed by agricultural terraces irrigated by Inca canals, that beside the time passed still work. It is said it was the farm of the Inca Yawar Wakaq and also an adoratory of religious cult and agricultural research.

Pikillaqta
32 km from Cusco. It is the only archaelogical site attributed to the preinca times in the department. The construction is thought to belong to the Wari culture. Nearby the Lucre lake is located conforming and important circuit where car racing competitions are held nowadays.

Andahuaylillas
40 km from Cusco. It is a beautiful and charmy small town with a beautiful Main Square and boulevards with pisonay trees. It is known by its XVII century church, with fresco paintings and golden decorations, that entitled it by the name of the "Sixtine Chapel of America".

Huaro
Located 46 km from Cusco. In this nice town a wonderful church was built Virgen de la Candelaria. It is of baroque style and beautifully decorated.

Urcos
The capital of the Province of Quispicanchi is located 46 km from Cusco. Surrounding it we find the Urcos lake, where it is said the Inca Huascar threw a solid gold chain. Its main production activities are agriculture and textiles.

Checacupe
90 km from Cusco. Stands out its church built over Inca constructions, it has important colonial paintings. A two hour hike leads to the archaelogical site of Machupitumarca, that is also the place where a folkloric festival is held every June.

Raqchi
119 km from Cusco. In its territory was built the temple to the god Wiraqocha. Important and great Inca monument. Its external wall is 15 meters tall and a perimeter of more than 90 meters, that includes 30 buildings. The third Sunday of June every year the famed folkloric festival of Raqchi is held.

Other important towns are San Pedro located 4 km from Raqchi, where we can see the vestiges of the temple honoring Wiraqocha that was made built by the Inca Pachakuteq. Tinta and Marangani are other towns famous for its textile production.

Sicuani
The capital of the province of Canchis is located 138 km from Cusco. It is connected by road to other towns in the high lands, like Langui, Layo, Espinar, Yanaoca, and Santo Tomas. 7 km from it the hot springs of Uyurmiri are located.
In the town we still can see the archery where the brigadier Mateo Pumacahua was executed, who in 1814, led in Cusco a big rebellion against the spanish rule.

EASTERN DIRECTION FROM THE CITY

Paucartambo
Located 109 km from Cusco is the capital of the Province of Paucartambo, that goes all the way to the Amazon forest. You can get to Paucartambo by the road that goes to Canchis taking the side road in Huambutio or going through the route from Pisac. Paucartambo, called the Folkloric Capital is a well known town. Because it is where the festivity of Virgen del Carmen is held on July 16, called the "Paucartambo Easter" it is also famous for the observation of a natural spectacle: the sunrise from the mountain pass of Tres Cruces de Oro (Three Golden Crosses), 45 km from the town. On the road there are the preinca "chullpas" (tumbs) of Ninamarca. From Tres Cruces de Oro the road goes down to the Amazon forest, going to the valley of Q'osnipata and Manu National Park.

CHOQUEQUIRAO
The archaelogical site of Choquequirao is located in the District of Santa Teresa of the Province of La Convencion, Department of Cusco. It is located in one of the natural terraces of the snow capped mountain Choquequirao of the Salkantay mountain range, on the east bank of Apurimac river at 3,033 m.a.s.l.

One of the accesses to this great attraction is taking the paved road from Cusco to Abancay, taking the side road from Saywite to Cachora, from there it is a 30 km hike along an inca path.

Regarding its origin, the most accepted theory is that at the second half of the XV century and the first decades of the XVI century the Incas began to conquer new territories of the Antisuyo region, habited by the Anti indians, during that period Choquequirao might have been constructed.

Choquequirao was an important inca city that had political, social and economical functions, and it became in an economic axis, that permitted trading between the coastal and mountainous regions of Peru.

The first ones to mention the city are the chronists of the post-conquer expeditions, they talk about Choquequirao as a very old city that was visited in 1768 and found abondoned and unhabited (Geograply of Viceroyal Peru. XVII century).

It is a monumental site of great beauty for its constructions and geographical panorama. It is an excellent sample of inca architecture and archaelogically is a very important source of information since it keeps several historical testimonies. From the geographical point of view it cover an area of 1,810 hectares that present different ecological levels of great biodiversity. Choquequirao is located in the touristic axis Wari-Chanka-Inca, that is between the departments of Ayacucho, Apurimac and Cusco, gathering on the route important touristic resources.

TYPICAL GASTRONOMY

Another of the attractions of Cusco is the variety of gastronomy that offers to the visitor, based on products of the region. Each festivity has its own traditional dish and you can find them all year long in the different "quintas" of the city, restaurants of typical dishes, and also in the hotel where part of their menus are these specialties from Cusco. According to the festivities some typical dishes are:

Carnival
The puchero or t'impu, made up with lamb, pork and beef, bacon, dried and salted meat, cole and peaches. Also the roast lamb with fresh corn and potatoes. The k'apchi of mushrooms (mushrooms from the region prepared in a delicious soup with abundant cheese, potatoes and green beans), the stuffed hot chili pepper, that you can take along with typical beverages like the frutillada, chicha or the foamy Cusquena beer.

Eastern
The 12 dishes are eaten, mainly soups and sweets.

Corpus Christi
The famous "chiriuchu" dish prepared with cuy (rabbit type andean vegetarian rodent), chicken, dried and salted meat, cheese, bacon, roast corn, corn tortilla and others.

June 24th
Special roast potatoes "huatias" made in a dried ground land oven, served with roast cuy and lamb.

Festivity of All Saints
Roast pork served with peruvian corn tamales.