Cusco
72735
226172148
2008-07-17T03:57:36Z
201.230.72.5
{{dablink|This article is the city in Peru. For other uses, see [[Cusco (disambiguation)]].}}
{{coor title dms|13|30|30|S|71|58|20|W|region:PE_type:city}}
{{Infobox Settlement
|official_name = Cusco
|other_name =
|native_name = Qusqu
|nickname = La Ciudad Imperial (The Imperial City)
|motto =
|image_skyline = Panoramic Cusco from Sacsayhuaman.jpg
|imagesize = 250px
|image_caption = Panoramic View of Cusco from Sacsayhuaman
|image_flag = Flag_of_Cusco.svg
|image_seal = Escudo-echenique3.gif
|flag_size = 100px
|seal_size = 80px
|image_shield =
|shield_size =
|blank_emblem_size =
|image_map =
|mapsize = 200px
|map_caption = Location in Peru
|pushpin_map = Peru<!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
|pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = [[Peru]]
|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name1 = [[Cusco Region|Cusco]]
|subdivision_type2 = Province
|subdivision_name2 = [[Cusco Province|Cusco]]
|subdivision_type3 =
|subdivision_name3 =
|subdivision_type4 =
|subdivision_name4 =
|government_type = Democracy
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Marina Sequeiros Montesinos
|established_title = Founded
|established_date = [[1100|1100 A.D.]] 1<sup>st</sup>
|established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
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|established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
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|settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)-->
|population_total = 319422 (2002)
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|timezone = PET
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = PET
|utc_offset_DST = -5
|latd = 13 <!-- degrees -->
|latm = 30 <!-- minutes -->
|lats = 30 <!-- seconds -->
|latNS = S <!-- South -->
|longd = 71 <!-- degrees -->
|longm = 58 <!-- minutes -->
|longs = 20 <!-- seconds -->
|longEW = W <!-- West -->
|elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
|elevation_m = 3310
|elevation_ft =
|postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
|postal_code =
|area_code = 84
|website = [http://www.municusco.gob.pe www.municusco.gob.pe]
|footnotes =
}}
{{Infobox World Heritage Site
| WHS = City of Cuzco
| Image = [[Image:Koricancha.jpg|250px|Coricancha temple and Church of Santo Domingo]]
| State Party = {{PER}}
| Type = Cultural
| Criteria = iii, iv
| ID = 273
| Region = [[List of World Heritage Sites in the Americas|Latin America and the Caribbean]]
| Year = 1983
| Session = 7th
| Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/273
}}
'''Cusco''' (also spelled '''Cuzco''', and in the local [[Quechua]] language as '''Qusqu''' {{IPA2|'qos.qo}}) 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 Empire|Spanish]] [[conquistador]]s, the [[Quechua]] name ("''Qosqo''") was transliterated into [[Spanish language|Spanish]] as "''Cu'''s'''co''", which is how it appears on maps from the 17th and 18th centuries.<ref>Ianssonium, Ioannem (1647) ''Mapa del Perú'', image in [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Mapa_Per%C3%BA_Ioannem_Ianssonium.JPG Wikipedia Commons]</ref><ref>Bellin, Jacques Nicolas (1758) ''Suite du Perou Audience de Charcas'' Paris, France, image in [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Lake-Titicaca-Jacques-Nicolas-Bellin-1758.jpg Wikipedia Commons];</ref> On maps from the 19th century (as early as 1810<ref>Pinkerton, John (1810) "Peru" ''World Atlas'' Cadell and Davies, London, image in the [http://www.davidrumsey.com/ David Rumsey Map Collection];</ref><ref>Carey, Mathew (1814) "Peru" ''World Atlas'' Mathew Carey, Philadelphia, image in the [http://www.davidrumsey.com/ David Rumsey Map Collection];</ref>) and through the mid-20th century (until at least 1976), the name appears as "Cu'''z'''co". 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 Site]]s,<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/273 Unesco World Heritage List]</ref> but the S version is official usage in English.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pe.html CIA World FActbook]</ref>
==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.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/03/15/peru.temple.ap/index.html Pre-Inca temple uncovered in Peru - CNN.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 2007, excavations uncovered another temple on the edge of the fortress, indicating religious as well as military use of the facility.<ref>http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2008/03/14/911994.html&cookieattempt=1</ref>
===Inca history===
{{See also|Kingdom of Cusco|Inca Empire}}
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 [[Sapa Inca|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===
{{rquote|right|''We can assure your majesty that it is so beautiful and has such fine buildings that it would even be remarkable in Spain.''|[[ Francisco Pizarro]]}}
The first [[Spanish Empire|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 of Peru|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 [[Habsburg Spain|Spain]]. This allowed the construction of many churches and convents, and even a cathedral, [[National University of San Antonio Abad in Cusco|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==
[[Image:Plaza de Armas de Cuzco (pixinn.net).jpg|thumb|Plaza De Armas (main square). The Cathedral lies on the left and the Jesuit church ("Compañía de Jesus") is on the right.]] 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 road system|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); [[Vilcabamba, Perú|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 (Inca ruin)|Moray]] and many others.
The surrounding area, located in the Huatanay Valley, is strong in agriculture, including [[maize|corn]], [[barley]], [[quinoa]], [[tea]] and [[coffee]] and [[gold]] mining.
[[Image:Cusco parade.jpg|thumb|left|Parade through Plaza De Armas]] 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, although 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 strongly supported throughout Cusco; men without a set at home will stand in the street and watch the game on televisions in shop windows. Tickets are sought-after and buying them entails long queueing.
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.<ref>[http://www.niwascience.co.nz/rc/atmos/uvconference/2006/Liley_2.pdf 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];</ref>
{{climate chart|Cusco
|7|20|163
|7|21|150
|7|21|109
|4|22|51
|2|21|15
|1|21|5
|-1|21|5
|1|21|10
|4|22|25
|6|22|66
|6|23|76
|7|22|137
|float=center
|clear=both
|source=[http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT001930 BBC Weather]
}}
==Food==
[[Image:Cuzco-Pano edit.jpg|thumb|center|600px|A panorama of Cusco from Cristo Blanco]]
As headquarters to the Inca Empire, Cusco was an important agricultural region and a natural reserve for thousands of native Peruvian species, including hundreds of [potato]] varieties.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}
More recently, thanks to Peruvian and foreign cooks, Cusco has begun to offer many fusion and neo-Andean restaurants in which the cuisine, prepared with modern techniques and incorporating a blend of traditional Andean and international ingredients, delivers an innovative, exciting dining experience.<ref>[http://www.sazonperu.com/busqueda/ciudad/index.php?idprov=137&flag=1&iddpto=8&idio= Guide to Peruvian Food, Cusco Reference]</ref>.
Cusco is one of the Andean cities in which visitors can taste many spices, of different origins, and agricultural produce, mostly organic, treated and grown in environmental friendly and traditional ways,{{Fact|date=July 2008}} frequently using ancient techniques such as the "Chaquitaclla" (foot plough).<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/106204/chaquitaclla]</ref>.
==Industry==
*[[Cusqueña|Cusqueña brewery]]
==Sister cities==
{|
| valign="top" |
* {{flagicon|Bolivia}} [[La Paz]], [[Bolivia]]
* {{flagicon|Philippines}} [[Baguio]], [[Philippines]]
* {{flagicon|Uzbekistan}} [[Samarkand]], [[Uzbekistan]]
* {{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Mexico City]], [[Mexico]]
* {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]]
* {{flagicon|Poland}} [[Kraków]], [[Poland]]
* {{flagicon|United States}} [[Jersey City, New Jersey]], [[United States]]
* {{flagicon|Peru}} [[Lima]], [[Peru]]
| valign="top" |
* {{flagicon|France}} [[Chartres]], [[France]]
* {{flagicon|North Korea}} [[Kaesong]], [[North Korea]]
* {{flagicon|Greece}} [[Athens]], [[Greece]]
* {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Moscow]], [[Russia]]
* {{flagicon|United States}} [[Santa Barbara, California]], [[United States]]
* {{flagicon|Cuba}} [[La Habana]], [[Cuba]]
* {{flagicon|Palestine}} [[Bethlehem]], [[Palestinian National Authority]]
| valign="top" |
* {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Jerusalem]], [[Israel]]
* {{flagicon|Honduras}} [[Copán]], [[Honduras]]
* {{flagicon|China}} [[Xi'an]], [[China]]
* {{flagicon|Bolivia}} [[Potosí]], [[Bolivia]]
* {{flagicon|Ecuador}} [[Cuenca]], [[Ecuador]]
* {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Brazil]]
* {{flagicon|United States}} [[Madison, Wisconsin]], [[United States]]
|}
==Gallery==
<gallery perrow="4">
Image:Cusco-plaza-c04.jpg|Plaza de Armas
Image:Inca_Wall.jpg|Inca Wall
Image:Piedra_de_12_angulos.jpg|Twelve-angle rock
Image:Cuzco001.jpg |Plaza de Armas
Image:Iglesia-La-Compania---Cuzco.jpg|The Church of La Compañia on the Plaza de Armas
Image:CristoBlancoCuzco.jpg|Cristo Blanco
</gallery></center>
==References==
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{{Reflist}}
==See also==
*[[Inca road system]]
==External links==
*[http://www.peru.info/perueng.asp PromPerú: Government Tourism Site]
*[http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Cusco+Peru&ie=UTF8&hl=en&cd=1&ll=-13.524097,-71.96208&spn=0.039389,0.05785&t=h&z=14&om=0 Cusco at Google Maps]
*[http://www.gpstravelmaps.com/sacredvalley.html Cusco GPS map]
*[http://wikitravel.org/en/Cusco Tourist guide at Wikitravel]
*Photos [http://www.pasaporteblog.com/sacsayhuaman-cuzco-peru/ Sacsayhuaman at Pasaporteblog.com] {es}
{{Commons|Cusco}}
{{Peruviancitiesover100000}}
{{World Heritage Sites in Peru}}
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in the Cusco Region]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Peru]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Peru]]
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