The city of Cusco is located in the valley of the Huatanay river, in the southern highlands of Peru. Its name is derived from an ancient Quechua word that would mean: “navel”, “meeting point”, “center”. Because from this city, which was the capital of the Inca empire, started a road network that headed to the four suyos (regions) that made up the “four parts of the world”.
“One of the main idols that the Inca Kings and their vassals had was the imperial city of Cozco, which the Indians worshiped as a sacred thing (…)
By having it in this veneration, those kings ennobled it as much as they could with sumptuous buildings and royal houses that many of them built for themselves (…) and the one they put the most effort into was the house and the temple of the Sun, which they adorned with incredible riches”. Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, 1609
(see map)
Enjoy its climate, the joyful Cusqueu00f1an spirit and the impressive archaeological complexes like Machu Picchu.
Remember that there is no limit when it comes to traveling.
Discover more in our guide. Start with what to see in Cusco Peru, where you will find a list of 20 places that you should not miss visiting.
Below you have a list of 5 places that you can visit in one day, 2 of them in the city and the rest in its surroundings. Of course to visit these places you must have the tourist ticket.
The cathedral
Initially it was built in what was the Suntur Wasi (House of god) in 1539, which today is the temple of the Triumph. However, in the year 1560 it was built in the Kiswar Cancha, which previously was the palace of Wiracocha. It is a construction in the plateresque style with two towers, in one of these we find the famous “Maria Angola” bell. The facade and the interior are dominated by the Renaissance style. It has 2 adjacent chapels. It houses inside objects of gold and embossed silver as well as an important collection of paintings from the Cusqueu00f1a school.
The Qoricancha
Qoricancha means “gold enclosure” or “place of gold”. In the Tahuantinsuyo it was the main religious center. According to chroniclers this temple was richly ornamented with plates of gold and silver, it also had life-size elements in gold and silver (people, animals, plants), today on its foundations stands the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo.
Sacsayhuaman
Sacsayhuaman is a cyclical work, attributed to the Incas of the last dynasties, it is located 2 km from the center of the city. According to chroniclers this place was chosen as the temple of the sun and house of arms. It was the Spanish who gave it the name Fortress.
It has three bastions. In the upper part we find foundations of what were three towers aligned from east to west. The first tower was called Paucar Marca (precious place) and was located to the west on a lower level than the central one. The central tower of circular shape was called Muyuc Marca (circular place) which consisted of three circumferences. The third tower bore the name of Sacllac Marca (rough place), located to the east of the complex.
Qenqo
Name whose meaning is “labyrinth” or Zigzag, is located 3 km from the center of the city. It is believed that Qenqo was a ceremonial center because in the center there is a large monolith probably of an animal that was the main deity. It is surrounded by a semicircular amphitheater of 19 niches where offerings were placed.
On the surface there are carved different shapes of animals, as well as a zigzagging channel, where blood or chicha was poured, liquids dedicated to the offerings.
Puka Pukara
It is located 7 km from the center of the city, the name Puka Pukara means “red watchtower”. It is believed that it served control functions and also as an administrative and military center. It could also be a resting place when the Inca headed to Tambomachay.
It is made up of alleys, houses, niches, highlighting an elevated point that was used for communication and sending signals.
Tambomachay
It is located 9 km from the center. Tambomachay in the past was a center of worship and adoration to water, it is also known as the baths of the Inca. You can see four walls on different levels. From the second wall starts the fall of crystalline water that becomes a stone well, in which the Inca worshiped water.
