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Cusco

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This article is about Cusco, the city. For other uses, see Cusco (disambiguation).

13°30′30″S 71°58′20″W / 13.50833°S 71.97222°W / -13.50833; -71.97222

Cusco
Qusqu
Plaza De Armas (main square). The Cathedral lies on the left and the "Compañia de Jesus" on the right.
Plaza De Armas (main square). The Cathedral lies on the left and the "Compañia de Jesus" on the right.
Flag of Cusco
Flag
Official seal of Cusco
Seal
Nickname: 
La Ciudad Imperial (The Imperial City)
Location in Peru
Location in Peru
CountryPeru
RegionCusco
ProvinceCusco
Founded1100 A.D. 1st
Government
 • TypeDemocracy
 • MayorCarlos Valencia Miranda
Population
 • Total319,422 (2,002)
Time zoneUTC-5 (PET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (PET)
Area code84
Websitewww.municusco.gob.pe
City of Cuzco
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Coricancha temple and Church of Santo Domingo
CriteriaCultural: iii, iv
Reference273
Inscription1983 (7th Session)

Cusco (also often spelled in Spanish Cuzco, and in the native Quechua language as Qusqu or Qosqo) 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 about 300,000, triple the population it contained just 20 years ago. The altitude of the city, located on the eastern end of the Knot of Cusco, is around 3,500 m (11,500 feet). The historic capital of the sun-worshipping Inca empire, it has been found in 2006 to be the spot on Earth with the highest ultraviolet light level.[1]

Name

Upon the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, the Quechua (Indian) name ("Qusqu") was transliterated into Castilian Spanish as "Cusco", which is how it appears on maps from the 17th and 18th centuries.[2][3] On maps from the 19th century (as early as 1810[4][5]) and through the mid 20th century (until at least 1976), the name appears as "Cuzco". Today, in official Peruvian cartography the name has returned to the original transliteration: Cusco, with an S rather than a Z. the Z version of the name is still used in some official circumstances, such as the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites [1], but the S version is official usage in English[2].

Inca history

Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire. Many believe that the city was planned to be shaped like a puma. The city had two sectors: the urin and hanan, which were further divided to each encompass two of the four provinces, Chinchasuyu (NW), Antisuyu (NE), Qontisuyu (SW), and Collasuyu (SE). A road led from each of these quarters to the corresponding quarter of the empire. Each local leader was required to build a house in the city and live part of the year in Cusco, but only in the quarter of Cusco that corresponded to the quarter of the empire he had territory in. After Pachacuti, when an Inca died his title went to one son and his property was given to a corporation controlled by his other relatives (a process called split inheritance), so each title holder had to build a new house and add new lands to the empire, in order to own the land his family needed to maintain after his death.

According to Inca legend, the city was built by Sapa Inca Pachacuti, the man who transformed the Kingdom of Cusco from a sleepy city-state into the vast empire of Tahuantinsuyu. But archaeological evidence points to a slower, more organic growth of the city beginning before Pachacuti. There was however a city plan, and two rivers were channeled around the city.

Post-Columbian Cusco

The Church of La Compañia on the Plaza de Armas in Cusco

The first Spaniards arrived in the city on November 15, 1533. Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, officially discovered Cusco on March 23, 1534, naming it the "Very noble and great city of Cusco". The many buildings constructed after the Spanish conquest are of Spanish influence with a mix of Inca architecture, including the Santa Clara and San Blas barrios. The Spanish undertook the construction of a new city on the foundations of the old Inca city, replacing temples with churches and palaces with mansions for the conquerors. During the colony, Cusco was very prosperous thanks to the agriculture, cattle raising, mining as well as the trade with Spain. This allowed the construction of many churches and convents, and even a Cathedral, University and an Archbishopric. Often, Spanish buildings were juxtaposed atop the massive stone walls built by the Inca.

A major earthquake in 1950 badly destroyed the Dominican Priory and Church of Santo Domingo, which were built on top of the impressive Coricancha (Temple of the Sun). The city's Inca architecture, however, withstood the earthquake. Many of the old Inca walls were thought to have been lost after the earthquake, but the granite walls of the Coricancha were exposed, as well as many walls throughout the city. While some wanted to restore the buildings to their colonial splendor, a contingent of Cusco citizens urged city officials to retain the exposed walls. Eventually they won out. Cusco was also hit by a major earthquake in 1650.

Ecclesiastical history

The diocese, suffragan of the archbishopric of Lima, was erected by Pope Paul III on 5 September 1536, comprising the departments of Cusco and Apurimac, an area of 21, 677 m²., containing in the early 20th century a Catholic population of 480,000, with 106 parishes, 650 churches and chapels, 150 priests, a seminary and schools.

Sights

File:Panoramic Cusco from Sacsayhuaman.jpg
Panoramic View of Cusco from Sacsayhuaman

The original Inca city, said to have been founded in the eleventh 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. 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 a 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 (13,134 feet), 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. However, it has yet to achieve such success in its home country. Nonetheless, it is still considered to be one of the best teams in Peru.

The city is served by Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.

Food

Cusco is one of the andean cities of Peru where visitors may taste many different originary spices and agricultural produce, mostly organic, treated and grown in environmental friendly and traditional ways, frequently using ancient techniques such as the "Chaquitajlla" ( hands and foot soil remover). As headquarters to the Inca Empire, Cusco was always an important agricultural production region, and a natural reserve for thousands of Peruvian originary species, including hundreds of native potato varieties.

During recent years, driven by Peruvian and foreign citizens, Cusco has began to host many fusion and neo andean food places where traditional andean taste is found fusioned with modern techniques and ingredients, delivering a very innovative, exciting and trendy cuisine. Meet some of Cusco´s restaurants [3]

A panorama of Cusco by night

Industry

  • Iglesia de la Compañía
    Iglesia de la Compañía
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Iglesia de la Merced
    Iglesia de la Merced
  • Iglesia de la Merced
    Iglesia de la Merced
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • The cathedral in front of the Plaza de Armas
    The cathedral in front of the Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas
  • Plaza de Armas
    Plaza de Armas

Sister cities

References

  1. ^ Liley, J. Ben and McKenzie, Richard L. (April 2006) "Where on Earth has the highest UV?" UV Radiation and its Effects: an update NIWA Science, Hamilton, NZ;
  2. ^ Ianssonium, Ioannem (1647) Mapa del Perú, image in Wikipedia Commons;
  3. ^ Bellin, Jacques Nicolas (1758) Suite du Perou Audience de Charcas Paris, France, image in Wikipedia Commons;
  4. ^ Pinkerton, John (1810) "Peru" World Atlas Cadell and Davies, London, image in the David Rumsey Map Collection;
  5. ^ Carey, Mathew (1814) "Peru" World Atlas Mathew Carey, Philadelphia, image in the David Rumsey Map Collection;

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cusco.
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