Cusco

Cusco (also spelled Cuzco, and in the local Quechua language as Qusqu ) 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 figure of 20 years ago. Located on the eastern end of the Knot of Cusco, its altitude is around 3,300 m (10,800 ft). Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca empire.

Names

Upon the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, the Quechua name ("Qosqo") was transliterated into Spanish as "Cusco", which is how it appears on maps from the 17th and 18th centuries.Ianssonium, Ioannem (1647) Mapa del Perú, image in Wikipedia CommonsBellin, Jacques Nicolas (1758) Suite du Perou Audience de Charcas Paris, France, image in Wikipedia Commons; On maps from the 19th century (as early as 1810Pinkerton, John (1810) "Peru" World Atlas Cadell and Davies, London, image in the David Rumsey Map Collection;Carey, Mathew (1814) "Peru" World Atlas Mathew Carey, Philadelphia, image in the David Rumsey Map Collection;) 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,Unesco World Heritage List but the S version is official usage in English.CIA World FActbook

History

Killke culture

The Killke occupied the region from 900 to 1200 A.D., prior to the arrival of the Incas in the 1200s. Archaeologists discovered, on March 13 2008, the ruins of an ancient temple, roadway and irrigation systems at Sacsayhuaman, a famed fortress overlooking the Inca capital of Cuzco. Previous carbon-14 dating of Sacsayhuaman revealed that the Killke culture constructed the fortress in the 1100s.Pre-Inca temple uncovered in Peru - CNN.com In 2007, excavations uncovered another temple on the edge of the fortress, indicating religious as well as military use of the facility.http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2008/03/14/911994.html&cookieattempt=1

Inca history

Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire (1200s-1532). 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 in which he had territory. 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 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 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.

Sights

The original Inca city, said to have been founded in the 11th 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. There are still Inca building remains and foundations, which in some cases have proved to be stronger than the foundations built in present-day Peru. 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 ft); 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 team is greatly supported throughout Cusco, and a match to the people of Cusco is quite important. Men that don't have a television will stand in the street and watch the game on televisions in shop windows. The tickets are very popular and involve big queues.

The city is served by Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.

Climate

Cusco was found in 2006 to be the spot on Earth with the highest ultraviolet light level.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;

Food

Cusco is one of the andean cities of Peru where visitors may taste many spices, of different origins, and agricultural produce, mostly organic, treated and grown in environmental friendly and traditional ways, frequently using ancient techniques such as the "Chaquitaclla" (foot plough).[1]

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.Guide to Peruvian Food, Cusco Reference

Industry

• Cusqueña brewery

Sister cities

Gallery

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References

See also

• Inca road system

External links

• PromPerú: Government Tourism Site
• Cusco at Google Maps
• Cusco GPS map
• Tourist guide at Wikitravel
• Photos Sacsayhuaman at Pasaporteblog.com {es}

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