Plaza de Armas - Cuzco
Sacred capital of the Inca Empire and known to the early Incas as the ‘navel of the world’, Cuzco is the oldest continuously inhabited city in South America. Gateway to the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, the city is filled with the Inca legacy, evident in the straight cobbled streets lined with the remains of exquisite stone walls built by the Incas, examples of ancient stonework incorporated into the structure of colonial churches and buildings, and the Quechua-speaking descendants of the Incas that fill the streets with their bright dress and colourful handicrafts.
The Cuzco City Tour is Half a Day and serves as a good introduction to the many delights of this beautiful City.
Sacsayhuamán - Cuzco
You will visit all of the main attractions in Cuzco both Colonial and Incan. We start at the Inca Fortress of Sacsayhuamán, inevitably translated as "sexy woman". Sacsayhuamán is a walled complex near the old city of Cuzco.
Sacsayhuamán is one of the most amazing Incan constructions for tourists. Its Quechua name means "satisfied falcon", it was the falcon that guarded the capital of the empire, since it was possible to overlook Cuzco from the hill in where it was erected. If, as it is known, Cuzco was designed with the shape of a lying puma, Sacsayhuamán would be its head, and the Coricancha would correspond to the feline's genitalia.
Its construction took over seven decades and required the work of 20,000 men approximately, both for the foundations and hewn stone works, the transportation of materials, carving and stones setting. Hewn stones could have been located at Muina, Huacoto and Rumicolca, 20 kilometers away from Cuzco, and at closer places such as Sallu, Rumi, Chita, Curovilca and Viracocha. Some of its external walls exceed the 9 meters of height and 350 tons of weight.
Cathedral - Cuzco
Thereafter we will visit Cuzco Cathedral which is one of the finest Colonial Cathedrals in the Americas. Building started in 1560 and was declared completed in 1664. The design is constituted by a Latin - Cross base, the facade has a Renaissance style, very ornamental, and it contains the best manifestations of colonial goldsmith and wood carving, as well as a valuable collection of canvases from the Escuela Cusqueña (Academy of Cuzco). There are two auxiliary chapels on its both sides: Capilla del Triunfo and Jesus, Maria y Jose
Coricancha - Inca Temple of the Sun
Finally we proceed on to visit Coricancha (from the Quechua word Quri Qancha meaning 'Golden Courtyard'), originally named Inti Qancha (' Temple of the Sun') was it the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God.
It was one of the most revered and respected temples of the city of Cuzco, Peru.
The walls and floors were once covered in sheets of solid gold, and the courtyard was filled with golden statues. Spanish reports tell of its opulence that was 'fabulous beyond belief'. The Church of Santo Domingo was built on the site, using the ruined foundations of the temple that was flattened by the Spanish in the 17th century, and is a fine example of where Inca stonework has been incorporated into the structure of a colonial building. Major earthquakes have severely damaged the church, but the Inca stone walls, built out of huge, tightly-interlocking blocks of stone, still stand thanks to the sophisticated stone masonry. Nearby is an underground archaeological site museum containing a number of interesting pieces, including mummies, textiles and sacred idols.
