Cusco
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Cuzco | |
|---|---|
| Location in Perú | Coat of Arms |
 | |
| City flag | |
| City nickname | La Ciudad Imperial (The Imperial City) |
| Founded | 1100 A.D. 1st |
| Government: | |
| - Region | Cusco |
| - Province | Cusco |
| - Mayor | Carlos Valencia Miranda |
| Area: | |
| - Total | xxxx km² |
| - Latitude/Longitude | 13°30.5′S 71°58.3′W / 13.5083°S 71.9717°W |
| Population: | |
| - Total (2002 census) | 319,422 |
| - Density | xxxx/km² |
| Demonym | cusqueño/a |
| Calling code | 84 |
| Time zone | UTC/GMT-5 |
| Official website | www.municusco.gob.pe |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Criteria | Cultural: iii, iv |
| Reference | 273 |
| Inscription | 1983 (7th Session) |
Cuzco (often spelled Cusco, less frequently Qosqo or Qusqu) 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 population it contained just 20 years ago. The altitude of the city, located on the eastern end of the Knot of Cuzco, is around 3,500 m (11,500 feet). The historic capital of the sun-worshipping Inca empire, it has been found in 2006 to be the spot on Earth with the highest UV level.[1]
Name
Upon the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, the Quechua (Indian) name ("Qusqu") was transliterated into Castillian Spanish as "Cusco", which is how it appears on maps from the 17th and 18th centuries.[2][3] On maps from the 19th century (as early as 1810[4][5]) and through the mid 20th century (until at least 1976), the name appears as "Cuzco". Today, in official Peruvian cartography the name has returned to the original transliteration: Cusco, with an S not a Z; however the Z version of the name is still used commonly in English.
Inca history
Cuzco was the capital of Inca Empire. Many believe that the city was planned to be shaped like a cougar. 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 Cuzco, but only in the quarter of Cuzco that corresponded to the quarter of the empire he had territory in. After Pachacuti, when an 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 any home and the land his family needed to maintain it after his death. Andean Indians still abandon their homes and build new ones when they marry, even if no one remains in the house.
According to Inca legend, the city was built by Sapa Inca Pachacuti, the man who transformed the Kingdom of Cuzco 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 Cuzco
The first Spaniards arrived in the city on November 15, 1533. Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, officially discovered Cuzco on March 23, 1534, naming it the "Very noble and great city of Cuzco". The many buildings constructed after the 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, the city of Cuzco was very prosperous thanks to the agriculture, cattle raising, mining as well as the trade with Spain. This allowed the construction of many churches and convents, and even a Cathedral, University and an Archbishopric. Often, Spanish buildings were juxtaposed atop the massive stone walls built by the Inca.
The major earthquake that hit Cuzco 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, firmly 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 Cuzco citizens urged city officials to retain the exposed walls. Eventually they won out and now tourists from around the world enjoy looking at these ruins within the living city. The 1950 earthquake was the second time that the Dominican Priory had been destroyed, the first being in 1650 when another major earthquake struck Cuzco.
Ecclesiastical history
The diocese, suffragan of the archbishopric of Lima, was erected by Pope Paul III on 5 September 1536, comprising the departments of Cuzco and Apurimac, an area of 21, 677 m²., containing in the early 20th century a Catholic population of 480,000, with 106 parishes, 650 churches and chapels, 150 priests, a seminary and schools.
Sights
The original Inca city, said to have been founded in the eleventh 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. 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 by a lightly maintained Inca trail, or the train, the "fortress" at Ollantaytambo and the "fortress" of Sacsayhuaman which is approximately two kilometers from Cusco.
Other less visited ruins include Inca Wasi, the highest of all Inca sites at 3,980 m (13,134 feet), Old Vilcabamba the capital of the Inca after the capture of Cuzco, the sculpture garden at Chulquipalta (aka Chuquipalta, Ñusta España, The White Rock, Yurak Rumi), as well as Huillca Raccay, Patallacta, Choquequirao, Moray and many others.
The surrounding area, located in the Huatanay Valley, is strong in agriculture, including corn, barley, quinoa, tea and coffee and gold mining.
Thanks to remodeling, 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 city is served by Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.
References
- ^ 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;
- ^ Ianssonium, Ioannem (1647) Mapa del Perú, image in Wikipedia Commons;
- ^ Bellin, Jacques Nicolas (1758) Suite du Perou Audience de Charcas Paris, France, image in Wikipedia Commons;
- ^ Pinkerton, John (1810) "Peru" World Atlas Cadell and Davies, London, image in the David Rumsey Map Collection;
- ^ Carey, Mathew (1814) "Peru" World Atlas Mathew Carey, Philadelphia, image in the David Rumsey Map Collection;
Placemarks
External Links
.svg){kind=small} Peruvian cities with a population of over 100,000 | |
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