Cusco — The Old Town★★★
Cusco (3,400 m) was the center of the Inca Empire — the largest empire South America has ever seen. The Incas called their capital Qosqo ("Navel of the World"), and from here they ruled an empire that stretched from Colombia to Chile. After the Spanish conquest in 1533, the conquistadors built their churches and palaces directly on the Inca foundations — and it is precisely this mix that makes Cusco so unique: Inca precision meets colonial splendor.
★★★ Plaza de Armas
The central square of Cusco was already the heart of their capital for the Incas — they called it Huacaypata ("Square of the Warriors"). Today, the mighty Cathedral (1654, built on the Inca Palace of Viracocha) and the Jesuit Church Iglesia de la Compañía dominate the scene. In the evening, when the churches are illuminated and the cafés under the arcades are full, the square is magical.
The Cathedral houses one of the most important collections of colonial art in the Americas, including the famous painting of the "Last Supper" by Marcos Zapata — with a guinea pig (Cuy!) on the table.
Plaza de Armas. Cathedral: 25 PEN. Mon–Sat 10:00–18:00.
★★★ Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun)
The holiest site of the Inca Empire. The walls were covered with gold plates, the garden contained golden replicas of plants and animals, and a huge golden sun disk reflected the first light of the morning sun. The Spaniards plundered the gold and built the Convent of Santo Domingo on the Inca walls — during earthquakes, the Spanish walls collapse while the Inca foundations remain standing. A powerful symbol.
Inside, you can admire the perfectly fitted Inca walls: Not a sheet of paper fits between the stones, and no mortar was used. Engineering that remains unsurpassed after 600 years.
Plazoleta de Santo Domingo. 15 PEN. Mon–Sat 8:30–17:30, Sun 14:00–17:00.
★★ San Blas
The artist quarter above the Plaza de Armas with steep, cobblestone alleys, studio workshops, small galleries, and cafés with rooftop terraces and panoramic views. The Iglesia de San Blas houses Peru's most famous wooden pulpit — a masterpiece of woodcarving, allegedly made from a single tree trunk.
The Calle Hatun Rumiyoc, leading from the Plaza de Armas to San Blas, houses the famous Stone of Twelve Angles — a perfectly fitted Inca stone with twelve angles, demonstrating the mastery of Inca stonemasons.
