In The Majestic Empire Of The Incas
Lake titicaca is the place wherefrom it is said that arised Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, as the founding couple who, after having walked accompanied by their suite, sunk a golden scepter on Mount Wanacaure, situated South of Cusco, at an altitude of 4,089 ma.s.l. Legends tell that the foundation of Cusco started there. According to the chronicles, since about 1200, there were fourteen Inkas who dominated the Huatanay River Valley in which is presently erected the city of Cusco and constituted the territory of the Tawantinsuyo (tawaintisuyo) in less than two centuries.
The greatness of the Imperial Cusco came about with the inca pachacuteq (9no Inka), as it did not correspond to t he size of the city, but rather to the extension and expansion of its territories. After the defeat of the Chancas, the inkas defeated their worst enemies, thus easing their way in the conquest of all the cultural groups who existed at the time, in the Southern part of the Central Andes. With the Inka Pachacuteq, the Empire's great expansion started rapidly. Pachacuteq ordered the building of roads and trails to unite its different parts, since at the time, there were no horses or wheeled vehicles and all communication of messages was carried out at the speed of runners called Chaskis. By the year 1500, the Chaskis service was a system for sending messages and light parcels, in a kind of relay courier service which surprisingly, worked very fast and well.
The city's Spanish foundation took place on march 23, 1534. A few months later, in October, the city's distribution was undertaken and gave rise to radical disputes and transformation. the arrival of a new culture, tranformed the temples, like that of the Qoricancha in the Santo Domingo Church and Incan palaces such as the Acllahuasi (House of the Virgins of the Sun), into colonial mansions and churches, as that of Santa Catalina and convents on top of Huacas (Incan temples and sacred places).
Litle by Litle, the city converted itself into a crossbreed symbol, not only int the architectural sense, but mainly cultural, as temples, walls, fortresses and palaces were taken apart in order to use their carved stones as a base material for the construction ot the conquerors new residences. In most cases, the gold that had been confiscated was melted to mint coins which would then be shared among the conquerors, the members of the Catholic Church and the Spanish Crown
During the viceroyalty, Cusco became the capital city of South America's baroque splendor. The 1650 earthquake reduced the city and its surroundings to ruins, but gave the opportunity to give birth to the new Cusquenian art, under the direction of Bishop Molinedo who, in his plan for rebuilding the city, promoted the development of architecture, wood carving and painting. This is how was born the well-known Cusquenian School of Art, with painting of angels, archangels and saints that were sent in great quantities to Europe. The low cost of production, due to free labor, was immensely taken advantage of by the Church.
In the city's Historical Center, the churches architecture stands out in the baroque style. The city was built on the foundation of several Incan temples. For example, the Cathedral was built on top of the foundation of the Worship Temple to the God Wiracocha. In that construction, blocks of red granite were used and as the original building was remodeled, great quantities of stone blocks from the Ceremonial Center of Sacsaywaman and it took more than a century to build its superb structure.
In present days, Cusco is a magnet for foreigners who seek a spiritual and mystical experience in their travels and it is the center of tourist activity in Peru and South America. The Historical Center, as it is known today, has a surface of little more than a hundred blocks of houses and was declared Humanity's Cultural Patrimony in 1982. It offers modern infrastructura of tourist services, hotels, gourmet restaurants, travel agencies that offer specialized services. This city has changed rapidly in the last years, to adapt to the affluence of tourism and today, there is a great variety of other services to make your trip more pleasant, being for tourism or business purposes. You can reserve services through the Internet and secure places and tickets during the high season, from may to August.
Cusco City - More Information
Visiting Cusco and Machu Picchu
Cusco is located in the southeast of Peru - at an altitude of 3,416 meters, in the middle of the Andes. Located directly on the edge of the Valle Sagrado, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, ancient Inca traditions meet modern Peru. For the Incas, the city was once the "navel of the world", which reached its heyday in the 15th century under the Inca kings Pachacútec Yupanqui and Túpac Yupanqui. The founding of Cusco dates back to the 11th century.
Anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the culture of the Inca people today cannot avoid a visit to Cusco. Unfortunately, not much remains of the once ornate temples and palaces of the Incas. During the Spanish rule in 1533, many buildings were demolished and the gold that adorned them was melted down. Instead, colonial-style houses, churches and palaces were built on the foundation walls and foundations of the Inca temples. In 1650 and 1950 strong earthquakes raged in Cusco, which destroyed large parts of the imposing buildings. Numerous churches and houses have been rebuilt, so that the colonial center of the city still exudes its charm.
The old Inca ruins still characterize the image of Cusco. So today it is precisely this mixture of architectural styles that makes the city so incredibly unique and worth seeing. In 1983, Cusco was therefore declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. If you walk through the narrow cobbled streets of the colorful and lively upper town today, you will find an artistic quarter with small galleries on the one hand and white colonial buildings with huge balconies and bay windows on the other. The upper town only really comes to life in the evening and numerous cafés, restaurants, bars and clubs invite you to turn night into day.
The lower town is no less charming, but invites you to a sightseeing tip. Churches, cathedrals, monasteries and palaces are lined up here and take you on a cultural journey through time. Once you have explored the city of Cusco with all its facets, a very special highlight awaits you: Machu Picchu inca citadel, which can be easily reached from Cusco via the Inca Trail during a 3-day trip. Get ready for a journey full of adventure and discover the city of Cusco, which is shaped by both the Incas and the Spanish colonizers.
Machu Picchu by train
The journey time by train between Cusco and Machu Picchu is about 4 hours. 5 mins over a distance of about 106 km. The connection from Cusco to Machu Picchu by train is operated by PeruRail and Inca Rail with departure from Cusco - Wanchaq and arrival in Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu. There are normally 58 trains per week, although schedules may vary on weekends and public holidays, so please check in advance.
Machu Picchu by foot
The best way to experience Machu Picchu is on a multi-day hike. In four or five days you cross the Andes once. The ascent to high passes allows views over snowy cordilleras and down into deep valleys. The vegetation change during the descent into the tropical mountain forest is fascinating. The popularity of the various hikes is probably also due to the fact that the Incas already reached their sacred site in the mountains on foot.
The Inca Trail
The Inca Trail is one of the most famous treks in the world and follows the original paths of the Incas to Machu Picchu. The Inca network of paths is called "Qhapac ñan" and is protected by UNESCO. Due to its need for protection, only 500 hikers are allowed on the trail per day.
Since the Inca Trail is quickly fully booked (you can get all information about the Inca Trail), many alternatives have emerged over the years. That would be:
The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: The most popular alternative to the Inca Trail. Many readers even refer to it as the "more scenic variant". This trekking can also be booked locally in Cusco. But the same applies here: If you want to combine your visit to Machu Picchu with a panoramic mountain, you should book at least two months in advance. Here you can find all information about the Salkantay Trek.
The Lares Trek to Machu Picchu: Another attractive hike that leads along the Sacred Valley. This trekking is described as a "cultural trekking" because more villages are passed along the way, so you meet more locals than on the other treks. In Lares trek there are wonderful thermal springs and you will pass several mountain lakes on the way.
The Inca Jungle Trail to Machu Picchu: This is the adventure variant that combines hiking, mountain biking, rafting and ziplining with a visit to Machu Picchu. Please visit Inca Jungle Trek to Machu Picchu
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