Cusco

Cusco  is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. In 2007, the city had a population of 360,000 which is triple the figure of 20 years ago. Located on the eastern end of the Knot of Cusco, its altitude is around 3,400 m (11,200 ft).

Cusco was the site of the historic capital of the Inca Empire and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 by UNESCO. It is a major tourist destination and receives almost 1.5 million visitors a year. It is the departure point for all travellers to Machu Picchu and it is designated as the Historical Capital of Peru by the country’s constitution.

Following is a slideshow of pictures from Cusco, featuring shots from the historic Monasterio Hotel where we stayed, the city’s main square and the Sacsayhuaman Ruins. Pictures from the Main Square include the Cusco Cathedral and the Company of Jesus Church, two very beautiful and impressive structures.

The Sacsayhuaman Ruins are the remains of a magnificent Inca fortress. The word “Sacsayhuaman” can be translated as “speckled head” , which refers to the belief that the city of Cusco was set out in the form of a puma whose head was the hill of Sacsayhuaman. Its origins are uncertain but the fortress is generally attributed to the period of Inca Pachacuti, the man who essentially founded the Inca empire.