Cuzco
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Cuzco or Cusco (Quechua Qosqo, population 300,000), is a city in southeastern Peru in the Huatanay Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the department of Cusco.
Cuzco is a high altitude city (~3400 meters/11,024 feet above sea level) of moderate size. Its name means "navel", in the Quechua language. It was the capital and cultural center of Tahuantinsuyu, or Inca Empire. One legend states that in the 11th or 12th century Manco Capac founded Cusco. The granite walls of the Inca Palace are still standing, as are those of monuments like the Korikancha, or Sun Temple. Other great sites are the citadel of Machu Picchu and the fortress of Sacsayhuaman.
After the fall of the Empire in the 16th century (1532) to the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, Spanish colonists invaded the city. Many buildings after that are of Spanish influence with a mix of Indian architecture, including the Santa Clara, and San Blas. Often, Spanish buildings are juxtaposed atop the massive stone walls built by the Inca.
The surrounding area, located in the Huatanay Valley, is strong in agriculture, including corn, barley, quinoa, tea and coffee, and gold mining.
External links
- Cuzco by Antonio Gutierrez from "Geometry Step by Step from the Land of the Incas" --Agutie 21:20, 7 Dec 2004 (UTC)
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