By Kaitlin McMichael, Peru travel expert at SouthAmerica.travel
The Cathedral, the Church of La Compañía, El Trifuno Church, and many restaurants and shops face the plaza – and now a McDonalds and Starbucks. Though the Spanish architectural grandeur of the plaza is evident – and commercialization is increasingly pervasive – delve a bit deeper and you’ll find plenty of well-preserved hints at the former glory of the Inca Empire. Perhaps nowhere else is a theme of conquest spelled out in architecture; a Cusco city tour is a history lesson written in masterful stonework rather than books. While Spanish influence prevails in Cusco, the city’s Inca heritage is what keeps visitors enthralled.
The Cusco Cathedral is a good place to start your Cusco city tour. Built in 1539, the cathedral was expanded over the next century using stone from the nearby Inca fortress of Sacsayhuamán. It’s architectural style is Gothic-Renaissance, with Baroque embellishments, wooden altars, and gilded interiors. Look closely on the Cathedral door to see a jaguar carved in relief – a token of the Inca religion’s persistence into Catholicism. Inside, there is an impressive collection of artwork from the Escuela Cuzqueña, or Cuzco School of Art, a distinctive style of religious art from the early colonial period, when the Spanish sought to convert the locals through visual Bible stories. The most famous painting is that of the Last Supper con cuy – with a guinea pig as the main entree. Also look for the Maria Angola bell in the right bell tower, and the Black Christ, a crucifix that gets toted around each year during the Lord of Miracles celebration.
Also facing the Plaza is the Iglesia de la Compañía, a Jesuit church that was built over the ruins of another Inca palace. It’s baroque facade is so ornate that it often gets confused for the main Cathedral. The original church was built contemporaneous with the cathedral, but was destroyed in the 1650 earthquake. The building that stands today was built in 1668. The interior is dominated by an altar gilded in gold leaf, and there is also a collection of Cusquena artwork.
Just a few blocks past the Iglesia de la Compañía down Avenida El Sol is Qoricancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun, which the Spanish Convent of Santo Domingo was built upon. This temple was the Inca’s crown jewel; dedicated to Inti, the Sun God, Qoricancha was gilded in solid gold, adorned with golden statues, silverwork, jewels, and artwork that has become the stuff of legends. Much of it was stripped and taken to Cajamarca, where the Inca emperor Atahuallpa was being held for ransom by the Spanish. A legendary sun disk, which becomes the object of fixation for Hollywood in The Secret of the Incas, is said to have been spared. Dominicans leveled much of the temple to make room for their convent. Some of the original Inca walls remain, and the rounded wall facing the Jardin Sagrado is one of the most elegant examples of Inca stonework. Check out the museum underneath the garden; entrance on Avenida El Sol.
Art-lovers and history buffs should also check out Iglesia La Merced, located one block away from the Plaza de Armas. Inside this church is a collection of impressive art, including one painting of the Holy Family attributed to Rubens, and a golden communion cup encrusted with diamonds and pearls.
After you’ve tuckered yourself out on religious art and extravagant Spanish churches, head to the fine museums that delve into Cusco’s incredible historical legacies. The Museo Inka, to the left of the Cathedral, is the best choice for students of Incan history. Housed in a 16th century mansion (also built over Inca ruins), this museum (rebuilt after the 1950 earthquake) has a wide collection of Inca pottery, textiles, metal work, jewellery, elongated skulls, and mummies that give insight into Inca beliefs and customs. The collection of artifacts covers Incas throughout the empire, including those of the Lake Titicaca and Puno area. There is also a selection of photographs of Machu Picchu from when it was first encountered by the archeologist Hiram Bingham.
Another fine museum is the Museo de Arte Precolombino, also built in a colonial mansion. It features a rich collection of artifacts from pre-Inca cultures such as the Nazca, Moche, Chimu, and Paracas.
Also worthy of note is the Casa Concha Museum, which now houses several hundred artifacts retrieved from Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Bingham pilfered the artifacts and loaned them to Yale University, where they remained for 100 years. After decades of talks and formal suit filed against the Ivy League college in 2008, Yale recently returned the artifacts, which include thousands of pieces of pottery, jewels, and mummies. According to a letter in 1916 addressed to the National Geographic Society, which backed Bingham’s expedition to Machu Picchu, the artifacts were supposed to be on loan for 18 months.
12-Angled Stone. Don’t miss the famous 12-cornered stone on Hatun Rumiyoc street on the way to the San Blas district, to the right of the Cathedral. The street is made up of giant stone-cut walls that border the Palace of the Archbishop. The walls once lined Inca Roca, the palace of the 6th Incan ruler. The 12-cornered stone fits snugly amidst the other blocks, and it is perhaps the best example of Inca stonework that you can see up-close. (see the hidden animal shapes in this stunning building)
Many Cusco tours include trips to see Sacsayhuaman, Tambo Machay, Qenko, and other Inca ruins in the outskirts of the city. If you have an afternoon to spare, these sites are a must; they afford excellent views of Cusco from above, give you a chance to stretch your legs and get out of the city, and of course, are indispensable to Cusco’s history. You might also want to consider taking a horseback ride or mountain bike ride around the area to make this archeological lesson more of an adventure.
Sacsayhuaman. It was once a magnificent Inca stronghold that overlooks Cusco from the foothills. It too was razed by the Spanish, although many of its massive stones – some more than 8.5 meters (27 feet) – remain as imposing as it must have in the 16th century. Some stones weigh in at 300 tons, and according to a 16th century historian, over 20,000 men were involved in construction. The site is famous for being Manco Capac’s last stand against the Spanish in 1536. This is also the site of the colorful Inti Raymi festival held each year in June.
The seat of the Inca Empire, Cusco is more than just a rest stop on the way to Machu Picchu. It’s the centerpiece of Inca history, and an in-depth look at its historical monuments tells tale of a centuries-long rivalry between deep-rooted Inca culture and strong-handed Spanish colonial influence.
Source: enperublog.com