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Cusco City Tour: Explore Incan History & Architecture Half Day

4.7

18 Ratings

Cusco

Experience the enchantment and splendor of Cusco, the heart of the Incan Empire. The impeccable Incan roads extend to all quarters from the ‘Plaza’, perceived as the epicenter of the globe. Explore the Temple of the Sun, the Convent of Santo Domingo and the renowned Cusco Cathedral boasting its Cuzqueno artworks.

Duration: 30 minutes

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Qorikancha - Originally named Intikancha or Intiwasi, it was dedicated to Inti, and is located at the old Inca capital of Cusco. Mostly destroyed after the 16th century war with the Spanish conquistadors, much of its stonework forms the foundation of the Santo Domingo church and convent. To construct Coricancha, the Inca utilized ashlar masonry, which is composed of similarly sized cuboid stones. The use of ashlar masonry made the temple much more difficult to construct, as the Inca did not use any stone with a slight imperfection or break. By choosing this masonry type, the Inca intentionally demonstrated the importance of the building through the extent of the labor necessary to build the structure. Through the arduous labor needed to construct buildings with ashlar masonry, this form of construction came to signify the Inca’s imperial power to mobilize local labor forces. The replication throughout Andean South America of Inca architectural techniques such as those employed at Coricancha further illustrates the Inca’s control over a vast geographic region. Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui rebuilt Cusco and the House of the Sun, enriching it with more oracles and edifices, and adding plates of fine gold. He provided vases of gold and silver for the Mama-cunas, nuns, to use in the veneration services. Finally, he took the bodies of the seven deceased Incas and enriched them with masks, head-dresses, medals, bracelets, sceptres of gold, placing them on a golden bench. The walls were once covered in sheets of gold, and its adjacent courtyard was filled with golden statues. Spanish reports tell of its opulence that was “fabulous beyond belief”. When the Spanish required the Inca to raise a ransom in gold for the life of the leader Atahualpa, most of the gold was collected from Coricancha. The Spanish colonists built the Church of Santo Domingo on the site, demolishing the temple and using its foundations for the cathedral. Construction took most of a century. This is one of numerous sites where the Spanish incorporated Inca stonework into the structure of a colonial building. Major earthquakes severely damaged the church, but the Inca stone walls, built out of huge, tightly interlocking blocks of stone, still stand due to their sophisticated stone masonry. Nearby is an underground archaeological museum that contains mummies, textiles, and sacred idols from the site.

What's Included

Transport
Bi-lingual Guide

What's Not Included

Entrance to Qorikancha: 15 Soles
Entrance to sites: 70 Soles for 2 Days or 130 Soles for 10 Days

Location

Cuzco Main Square

Del Medio

We can meet in the main square or we can pick you up from your hotel

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.7

(18 Ratings)

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1 star

Catherine

Jan 6, 2024

Great trip - Great trip around Lima’s districts including Milaflores and Burranco. Kral was a great guide steering us through the traffic although most was on cycle paths.