Cusco — The Capital of the Incan Empire

Cusco “Cuzco” is a city with a rich history — The city was the capital of the Inca Empire, the most extensive and powerful state that exists on the South American continent. There is still a great deal of archaeological evidence that gives us information about the glorious and majestic past of the state, despite the devastation and damage suffered during the wars of conquest and throughout the colonial period. The original name of the city was “Qosqo”, which the Spaniards renamed Cusco because they could not pronounce the language of the Incas correctly.

The original name means “navel of the world”, that is to say, that the Incas wanted to connect with their city extending their territories. It extended northward to the Maule rivers in Chile, as well as to the present northwest of Argentina. They called their state or empire, as some scholars prefer to call it, Tahuantinsuyo, which in Quechua means “the four parts of the world”: Chinchaysuyo (north), Antisuyo (tropical forests of Cusco), Collasuyo (region of Lake Titicaca) and Cuntisuyo (today towards Arequipa).

The city of Cusco was built in the shape of a puma, the head was formed by the hill of Sacsayhuaman, the torso by the rivers Tullumayu and Saphy and the tail by the confluence of those two same rivers, where the Huatanay River is formed. The center of Cusco consisted of two large central plazas: Huacaypata, or “place of tears” and Cusipata, or “place of joy. In the center of the two square or places, there was a truncated pyramid, known “Usno”, which served as a ceremonial platform.

Around the squares there were Inca palaces, Aclla Wasi (the house of selected women) and Suntur Wasi (a round house, a house or a weapon). The remaining walls of these Inca palaces and other buildings served as the basis for the buildings erected by the Spaniards. Almost everything was destroyed during the conquest and the colonial period. Even before the arrival of the Spaniards, during the power struggle between Atahualpa and Huascar, much of the city of Cusco was destroyed.

The troops of Quito under the command of Atahualpa captured Huascar during the conflict and plundered and burned the city of Cusco and its palaces, killing all relatives and descendants of the defeated Incas. 

Cusco before the Quechua people “Incas”— The Cusco valley was inhabited by small local ethnic groups without urban, religious or political development until 750 AD, when the invasion of the Wari culture (of Ayacucho and Apurimac, northeast of Cusco) took place. The Wari brought with them great opportunities in the area, such as the religious worship of the Wiracocha deity, the state organization for the payment of taxes, the massive urbanization of the area and the development of regional and imperial trade. For unknown reasons, the Wari culture disappeared around 1000 AD, from Cusco, but their cultural and material heritage (road network) was later used by the Incas.

For the next 200 years, migratory groups coexisted in the region with the Ahjamama tribe (translated as “mother of the chicha”), who had previously lived in the region. This historical information is consistent with the myths about the founding of Cusco, which confirm that the Incas were not originally from Cusco.

Cusco – During the Inca Empire (Beginning of the Inca empire was 1200 AD — Inca expansion and its government was 1438 AC. — Arrival of the Spanish was 1533 AC.)

The Inca state was established around 1200 AD. This was only 3 centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards. According to historians, it started as a small local tribe, like many others that existed at the same time in the Andes. They peacefully joined other ethnic groups in the region, forming a Quechua confederation that ranged from the Sicuani area (south of Cusco) to Andahuaylas (in the north). From the beginning and probably even before the Incas, Cusco was an important ceremonial center and maintained its importance during the time of expansion. Towards 1430 the Chancas of the North and of the East (Ayacucho and Apurimac) invaded the zone.

The Incas and Chancas fought so violently that the myth of the appearance of the great emperor Pachacutec originated. His father, the old Inca Wiracocha with two of his sons fled the siege of Chancas. Cusi Yupanqui (Pachacutec) was the only one who stayed and confronted the Chancas in two battles, winning both.

The victory catapults him as an Inca and generates a myth according to which the rocks were converted into soldiers by the solar deity (Inti) to help Pachacutec in the fight. After defeating the Chancas, the Incas declared the time of expansion and the apogee that lasted from 1438 to 1533, during which they managed to conquer the Chimu kingdom in the north of modern Peru. The Inca Empire flourished on the South American continent from 1438 until the Spaniards arrived on the continent in 1533.

From around 1200 to 1438 the Incas were considered a tribe that grew gradually occupying a territory of 800,000 km2 or 308,882 square miles. Beginning in 1438 the Incas began to expand, absorbing neighboring territories and incorporating their culture and practices into their own societies and becoming an empire. The expansion began when Sapa Inca Pachacutec came to the throne. With the help of this Inca son Topa and his grandson, Huayna Capac expanded the empire by controlling a vast territory known as the Tawantinsuyu or Four United Kingdoms. They made Cusco, the sacred city, their capital.

• Geography —The city of Cusco is located in the Huatanay Valley in southern Peru. The Highland River with its large soil has made the Cusco area a perfect place for agriculture and it is believed that the area has been colonized for over 3000 years.
• Altitude — Cusco is at an altitude of 11,120 feet above sea level, surrounded by mountain peaks, the city is protected from the harsh climates of the highlands. In the Sacred Valley near the elevation is somewhat lower at 9420 feet and Machu Picchu even lower at 7972 feet.
• Climate — As Cusco is located at the top of the Andes, the climate is very changeable. Days can be hot and nights are usually very cold.
• Altitude Sickness — Altitude sickness is a concern for people traveling from sea level. Symptoms include headache, fatigue, insomnia, and lack of appetite. The effect of altitude affects people differently, and most people take a few days to adjust. Before traveling to Peru, it’s a good idea to ask your doctor for medication to help prevent altitude sickness. Also, when you arrive in Cusco or Puno, drink lots of coca leaf tea.

Top Sights in the Sacred Valley Peru!!!