Tourist Places in Cusco, Coricancha, Sacsayhuaman

Main Tourist Spots in the City of Cusco

Must-sees: The Plaza de Armas and its beautiful cathedral, the San Blas neighborhood, the Coricancha, and the Pre-Columbian Art Museum are some attractions you cannot miss visiting

Plaza de Armas

Also known as Huaqaypata. The Incas founded it first around the 11th century approx. Later it was the Spanish who carried out the second founding. This presence is still visible today in the architecture of the churches, colonial mansions, and arcades.

The Cathedral

Unlike other temples, it suffered almost no damage in the 1650 earthquake. It combines characteristics of Gothic, Mannerist Renaissance, and Baroque styles. With two solid towers, its side portals are Mannerist and the central one is discreetly Baroque. Notable features inside include the wooden pulpit, the choir stalls, and the collection of paintings from the Cusco School, such as the Last Supper in which the main dish is roasted guinea pig.

San Blas Neighborhood

It is one of the most picturesque places. Formerly known as Toq’ocachi or “the salt hole”. Today it is a neighborhood near the city center. Known as the artisans’ district. The neighborhood is filled with bars, affordable accommodations, craft shops, and clothing with unique details.

In its plaza we find a church that is believed to have been built over an Inca sanctuary consecrated to the lightning god. In the present-day temple we find a pulpit carved from a single piece of wood. The church is reached by following the San Blas slope along Hatun Rumiyoc street.

Koricancha

Also called Quri Kancha, it was in its time one of the most important constructions. Its front was a beautiful wall decorated with gold. Inside, the walls were also covered with this precious metal. Over this temple dedicated to the main Inca god, the sun, the Spanish built the church of Santo Domingo (1633). This church features a large dome and beautiful choir stalls made of cedar wood. The walls are adorned with Seville tiles.

It is located on the corner of Av. El Sol and Santo Domingo street. Visiting hours are Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Temple of La Merced

This construction dates back to the 16th century, but has been rebuilt several times due to earthquakes. It is a temple, convent, and museum that houses colonial paintings. Inside, there is a monstrance of gold and precious stones weighing 22 kilograms and measuring 1.30 meters in height. Its Baroque-Renaissance corridors, paintings, and wood carvings make it particularly attractive.

San Francisco

A stone church guarded by a tower and two doorways that housed the Franciscans from the earliest years of the conquest. The museum covers both floors of the second cloister. A prominent relic is a 100-square-meter canvas: the genealogical tree of the Franciscan family. In the main vestibule we find The Last Things of Man or the Last Judgment, a work by the renowned Diego Quispe Tito. The museum offers guided tours lasting approximately one hour.

It is located on Plaza San Francisco. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00.

Pre-Columbian Art Museum

A museum located in Plaza de las Nazarenas, one block from the Plaza de Armas. In this building you will see a large collection of ceramics, gold, and jewelry from ancient Peruvian cultures. Its galleries allow us to explore 3,000 years of Peruvian history, featuring relics from the Nazca, Mochica, Wari, Chimú, Chancay, and Inca cultures. These pieces come mainly from the Larco Museum in Lima.

Location: Plaza de las Nazarenas 231.

Map of museums in the city of Cusco

“The Coricancha, Sacsayhuamán, and Ollantaytambo are some of the places you must not miss on your trip to Cusco. Tour these places with us and learn a little more about the history of Peru.”

Your Experience When Booking: “City Tour of Cusco and Nearby Archaeological Sites”

What you’ll do

• Discover the riches of the Inca Empire with this fascinating and stimulating afternoon tour of Cusco’s most important monuments and ruins.
• See the Monastery of Santo Domingo, the Coricancha, Sacsayhuamán, and the Plaza de Armas in Cusco
• Walk uphill to the mega fortress of Sacsayhuamán