CUSCO

Cusco Cathedral

The Cusco Cathedral, or Basilica of the Virgin of the Assumption, is one of the city's most popular architectural monuments. It's also the first site you'll visit. It's located in Cusco's Plaza de Armas. Its construction took almost 100 years until its completion in 1654. It was originally an Inca temple dedicated to the god Wiracocha. However, during the Spanish conquest, it was looted and demolished to make way for this historic Catholic monument. In 1983, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Main square of Cusco

Cusco's Plaza Mayor is world-famous for its beauty, history, and its central gathering place for people from all over the world. It was the religious center and administrative center during the Inca era. After the Spanish conquest, colonial temples were built around it. Today, Cusco's Plaza Mayor is one of Peru's main attractions.

Coricancha and Convent of Santo Domingo

Coricancha is one of the most important religious centers of the Inca Empire. Its stone buildings are even more exquisite than those of Machu Picchu. It was covered in gold and silver before the Spanish conquest. The Convent of Santo Domingo was built there. It is located two blocks from the Plaza de Armas. It also houses paintings from the Cusco School. Today, both temples coexist as a symbol of cultural syncretism.

Sacsayhuaman Fortress

Sacsayhuaman is one of the most enigmatic places on the planet. There, tourists can see stones up to nine meters high and weighing more than 120 tons. Everything fits together with incredible precision. The Spanish believed the site was the work of the devil. Fierce battles were fought there between the Incas and the Europeans. Today, it is one of the most symbolic attractions of Cusco and Peru. Inti Raymi, or the Festival of the Sun, is celebrated there on June 24th every year.