Where is Cuzco located?

Cuzco is a city in south-central Peru. It sits high in the Andes at an average elevation of 11,150 feet (3,400 meters). Cuzco, deriving from a Quechua word for "navel" or "center", dates back to the 11th or 12th century and was the capital of the Inca empire. Today, Cuzco retains much of its early stone architecture in the foundations and lower stories of Spanish colonial structures. The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

Why is Cuzco important in Peru's history?

Cuzco is significant in Peru's history as the former capital of the extensive Inca empire, known as Tawantinsuyu, dating back to the 11th or 12th century. By the late 15th century, this empire stretched across a vast territory, encompassing parts of present-day Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. The city was a marvel of engineering and architecture, featuring mortarless stone walls cut with precision. In November 1533, Francisco Pizarro 's forces occupied and sacked Cuzco, later establishing a municipal government in 1534. Today, Cuzco is a UNESCO World Heritage site , celebrated for its well-preserved Inca architecture and historical importance.

What was Cuzco's role in the Inca Empire?

Cuzco, deriving its name from a Quechua term signifying "navel" or "center," emerged in the 11th or 12th century and became the capital of the Inca empire, known as Tawantinsuyu ("Realm of the Four Parts"). By the late 15th century, this empire stretched across a vast territory, encompassing parts of present-day Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. As the empire's heart, Cuzco was a hub of engineering, stonework, and architecture. The city housed tens of thousands of residents and showcased the Inca's skill through mortarless walls and precisely cut stones. The Temple of the Sun, Koricancha, was central to Inca religion and calendrical observations. Though Francisco Pizarro occupied and sacked Cuzco in 1533, its Inca ruins and architecture remain.

What famous sites can you visit in and around Cuzco?

Cuzco, in south-central Peru, was the capital of the Inca empire and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Western Hemisphere. In 1983, UNESCO designated Cuzco a World Heritage site. Points of interest: * Koricancha (Coricancha): Also known as the Temple of the Sun, the church of Santo Domingo incorporates its walls and foundations. * Sacsahuamán: Overlooking the Cuzco valley, this large Inca fortress was built in the 15th century. * Machu Picchu: Accessible by rail and helicopter from Cuzco, these ancient Inca ruins sit in the Andes Mountains. * The Sun Temple: The best-known Inca temple in Cuzco had a circumference of more than 1,200 feet. * Inti Raymi: Each year on June 24, Cuzco hosts a celebration and pageant in commemoration of the ancient Inca religious festival of the solstice. * Other Sites: Tambomachay, Kenco amphitheater, Puca Pucara fortress, Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Urubamba, and Chinchero.

How does the culture of Cuzco reflect both Inca and Spanish influences?

Cuzco's culture is a blend of Inca and Spanish influences, reflecting its history as the Inca capital and its subsequent Spanish colonization. The city's architecture showcases this fusion, with Spanish colonial structures built upon foundations of Inca stonework. Inca engineering, stonework, and architecture are still visible in Cuzco. The Spanish conquest brought Roman Catholicism, but Indigenous people mixed pagan beliefs into Catholic rituals, resulting in a syncretic religion. Modern Quechua communities maintain traditions rooted in Inca religion, blending ancestral customs with contemporary life.

How do Cuzco's festivals and traditions impact tourism today?

Cuzco's festivals and traditions significantly boost tourism today. The city, once the heart of the Inca empire, attracts visitors with its well-preserved architecture and historical sites. Each year on June 24th, Cuzco hosts Inti Raymi, the "Festival of the Sun," drawing tourists to a grand celebration of ancient Inca religious practices. While now more of a tourist event, other festivals such as Corpus Christi maintain regional importance. These celebrations, along with the city's ruins and cultural heritage, create economic opportunities through tourism, handicrafts, and cultural preservation.

Cuzco

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Panoramic aerial view of Plaza de Armas in Cusco, Peru, showing a central green square surrounded by historic buildings with red-tiled roofs.

Tour Cuzco, Peru, and learn how it deals with the admixture of traditional and modern ways of life

Cuzco, Peru: Society of Jesus, Church of the

Massive stone walls of the Sacsahuaman ruins near Cuzco, Peru, show interlocking blocks on grassy terraces with mountains in the background.

At a Glance

Cuzco summary

Quick Facts

Also spelled:: Cusco or Kosko

Quechua:: Qosqo

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Cuzco

Peru

Also known as: Cusco, Kosko, Qosqo, Quechua

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Top Questions

Where is Cuzco located?
Cuzco is a city in south-central Peru. It sits high in the Andes at an average elevation of 11,150 feet (3,400 meters). Cuzco, deriving from a Quechua word for "navel" or "center", dates back to the 11th or 12th century and was the capital of the Inca empire. Today, Cuzco retains much of its early stone architecture in the foundations and lower stories of Spanish colonial structures. The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why is Cuzco important in Peru's history?
Cuzco is significant in Peru's history as the former capital of the extensive Inca empire, known as Tawantinsuyu, dating back to the 11th or 12th century. By the late 15th century, this empire stretched across a vast territory, encompassing parts of present-day Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. The city was a marvel of engineering and architecture, featuring mortarless stone walls cut with precision. In November 1533, Francisco Pizarro's forces occupied and sacked Cuzco, later establishing a municipal government in 1534. Today, Cuzco is a UNESCO World Heritage site, celebrated for its well-preserved Inca architecture and historical importance.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Peru: Cultural institutions
2. Cuzco
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What was Cuzco's role in the Inca Empire?
Cuzco, deriving its name from a Quechua term signifying "navel" or "center," emerged in the 11th or 12th century and became the capital of the Inca empire, known as Tawantinsuyu ("Realm of the Four Parts"). By the late 15th century, this empire stretched across a vast territory, encompassing parts of present-day Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina.

As the empire's heart, Cuzco was a hub of engineering, stonework, and architecture. The city housed tens of thousands of residents and showcased the Inca's skill through mortarless walls and precisely cut stones. The Temple of the Sun, Koricancha, was central to Inca religion and calendrical observations. Though Francisco Pizarro occupied and sacked Cuzco in 1533, its Inca ruins and architecture remain.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What famous sites can you visit in and around Cuzco?
Cuzco, in south-central Peru, was the capital of the Inca empire and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Western Hemisphere. In 1983, UNESCO designated Cuzco a World Heritage site.

Points of interest:
* Koricancha (Coricancha): Also known as the Temple of the Sun, the church of Santo Domingo incorporates its walls and foundations.
* Sacsahuamán: Overlooking the Cuzco valley, this large Inca fortress was built in the 15th century.
* Machu Picchu: Accessible by rail and helicopter from Cuzco, these ancient Inca ruins sit in the Andes Mountains.
* The Sun Temple: The best-known Inca temple in Cuzco had a circumference of more than 1,200 feet.
* Inti Raymi: Each year on June 24, Cuzco hosts a celebration and pageant in commemoration of the ancient Inca religious festival of the solstice.
* Other Sites: Tambomachay, Kenco amphitheater, Puca Pucara fortress, Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Urubamba, and Chinchero.
5 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How does the culture of Cuzco reflect both Inca and Spanish influences?
Cuzco's culture is a blend of Inca and Spanish influences, reflecting its history as the Inca capital and its subsequent Spanish colonization. The city's architecture showcases this fusion, with Spanish colonial structures built upon foundations of Inca stonework.

Inca engineering, stonework, and architecture are still visible in Cuzco. The Spanish conquest brought Roman Catholicism, but Indigenous people mixed pagan beliefs into Catholic rituals, resulting in a syncretic religion. Modern Quechua communities maintain traditions rooted in Inca religion, blending ancestral customs with contemporary life.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do Cuzco's festivals and traditions impact tourism today?
Cuzco's festivals and traditions significantly boost tourism today. The city, once the heart of the Inca empire, attracts visitors with its well-preserved architecture and historical sites.

Each year on June 24th, Cuzco hosts Inti Raymi, the "Festival of the Sun," drawing tourists to a grand celebration of ancient Inca religious practices. While now more of a tourist event, other festivals such as Corpus Christi maintain regional importance. These celebrations, along with the city's ruins and cultural heritage, create economic opportunities through tourism, handicrafts, and cultural preservation.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Cuzco, city and Inca región, south-central Peru. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Western Hemisphere. Formerly the capital of the extensive Inca empire, it retains much of its highly crafted early stone architecture, which is typically preserved in the foundations and lower stories of Spanish colonial structures. Cuzco was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

The city stands high in the Andes at an average elevation of 11,150 feet (3,400 metres) at the west end of the Huatanay valley, a basin extending 20 miles (30 km) east to Huambutio. It is watered by the small Huatanay, Huancaro, and Chunchullmayo rivers, tributaries of the Vilcanota. The air is generally dry, and frost is rare even during the coldest months, June and July. The rainy season is from November to February.

Inca stoneworkWalls of Inca stonework form the foundations of Spanish structures lining a street in Cuzco, Peru.

Cuzco, whose name derives from a Quechua word meaning “navel” or “centre,” dates from the 11th or 12th century and was the capital of Tawantinsuyu (“Realm of the Four Parts”), an empire that by the late 15th century extended to the northwest some 1,100 miles (1,800 km), reaching approximately to the northern border of present-day Ecuador, and to the south 1,600 miles (2,600 km), reaching the centre of present-day Chile, as well as to the southeast to portions of modern Bolivia and Argentina. The population of the empire at the time of the Spanish conquest, in the 1530s, may have numbered more than 12 million. The city itself had tens of thousands of inhabitants, perhaps as many as 200,000. Cuzco and the surrounding area contain extensive Inca ruins that reflect great skill in engineering, stonework, and architecture. Still extant are numerous walls built without mortar; their stones were cut in irregular shapes and fitted with such precision that a matchbox cover cannot be inserted into most seams. The famous Stone of Twelve Angles is a fine example of this construction. The original streets of Cuzco are narrow and frequently stepped.

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Forces of the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro occupied Cuzco in November 1533 and sacked the city. Pizarro formally established the municipal government of Cuzco in March 1534 in the name of the emperor Charles V, but the city declined in importance after Pizarro moved his capital to the coastal site of Lima in 1535. A major earthquake occurred in 1650, causing great destruction to the buildings then standing in Cuzco. The rebuilding efforts that followed mark the beginning of the Cuzco Baroque period, during which the city was the centre of a prolific artistic production in masonry, painting, sculpture, jewelry, and ornamental woodworking. The work was guided or influenced by Roman Catholic priests and monks, and several notable churches and other buildings were erected in place of—or above—existing Inca structures. Three hundred years later, in May 1950, Cuzco experienced another significant earthquake, which damaged all the churches and almost 90 percent of the dwellings.

The church of Santo Domingo, consecrated in 1654, incorporates the foundations and several walls of the Koricancha (Coricancha), a Quechua name meaning “Golden Enclosure,” or “Golden Garden”; the site was dedicated to Viracocha, the creator deity, and Inti, the sun god, and is also known as the Temple of the Sun. It also contained shrines to a variety of other deities. It was constructed by the Inca on a sacred site and served as the nucleus of a grand astronomical and calendrical observatory. During Inca rule, the Koricancha’s finely crafted walls were sheathed in hundreds of silver and gold plates, and its roof was covered with a mixture of thatch and gold “straws” so that it glittered in the sunlight. In its terraced gardens the Inca ruler ceremonially planted finely crafted gold statuettes in the form of stalks of corn (maize). According to some early chroniclers, the temple grounds also contained gold statues of llamas, shepherds, insects, flowers, and small animals. As with most other treasures of the Inca empire, however, the artwork of the Koricancha was converted into bullion and shipped to Spain.

The city’s other architecturally significant buildings include the National University of San Antonio Abad del Cuzco (founded 1598); the church of La Compañía, which was built on the foundations of the Temple of the Serpents (Amarucancha); La Merced church and convent, the earliest Christian church in Cuzco (founded 1534); and the Santa Catalina convent, which replaced the House of the Virgins of the Sun (Acllahuasi or Acllawasi). The home of the 16th-century historian Garcilaso de la Vega is also notable.

Cuzco, Peru: SacsahuamánBattlements of the Inca fortress of Sacsahuamán in Cuzco, Peru.

Sacsahuamán, Peru: llamaWoman leading a llama at Sacsahuamán, Peru.

Cuzco: Sacsahuamán battlementsBattlements of the Sacsahuamán fortress, near Cuzco, Peru.

The cyclopean fortress of Sacsahuamán (Sacsayhuamán, or Saqsaywamán) overlooks the valley from a hill 755 feet (230 metres) above Cuzco. It is said that, in the Inca city plan, Cuzco was laid out in the shape of a puma (an animal sacred to the Inca), with Sacsahuamán forming its head and jaws. That image is reinforced by the zigzag outline of the fortress’s massive three-tiered battlements, facing outward from the city. Many of its component stones are the size of boulders, weighing as much as 100–300 tons and measuring up to 27 feet (8.2 metres) in height. Sacsahuamán’s walls extend horizontally more than 1,000 feet (305 metres). Defensive towers and other structures on the hill behind the walls were razed by Spanish forces. Sacsahuamán is said to have been constructed over a period of 80 years with a labour force that averaged about 20,000. Both the time of its construction and the method used to transport the stones are unknown. Facing the fortress across a wide parade ground is the so-called Throne of the Inca, a rounded mass of solid rock upon which were cut “seats” that, according to tradition, were occupied by Inca nobles during major ceremonies and celebrations. Other ruins nearby include the Inca bath, or Tambomachay (Tampumacchay); the Kenco amphitheatre; and the fortress of Puca Pucara.

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Stone ruins of Machu Picchu with terraced slopes and ancient structures, set against a backdrop of steep green mountains in the Andes of Peru. — Machu Picchu, Peru.

Ollantaytambo, Peru: Inca drystone constructionDetail of Inca drystone construction at Ollantaytambo, near Cuzco, Peru.

In the environs of Cuzco, potatoes and grains are cultivated for local consumption, and sheep, alpaca, and llama are grazed. Important local industries are the production of cloth, rugs, tapestries, fine metalwork, and beer for both the local and tourist markets. The population is chiefly Indian and mestizo. The famous ruins of Machu Picchu are accessible by rail and helicopter from the city, and roads link it with nearby Pisaq (noted for its weekly market and for its hilltop ruins), Ollantaytambo (a terraced fortress at the head of the Vilcanota valley), Urubamba (a favourite resort of the Inca), and the village of Chinchero. Cuzco is linked to Puno, Arequipa, and other southern cities by road and railway and is connected with Lima by road. Many foreign tourists and Peruvian travelers reach the city by air. Each June 24, Cuzco hosts Inti Raymi (“Festival of the Sun”), a grand celebration and pageant in commemoration of the ancient Inca religious festival of the solstice. Pop. (2005) 101,197.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Sheetz.

Cuzco

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