TOP 7 of the main tourist places of Cusco

Cusco offers amazing attractions and a must-see and if you are visiting Cusco, you will surely not miss these unforgettable places that the imperial city offers for you. Here are the 7 best tourist places most representative of the imperial city.

1) Cathedral of Cusco
The Cathedral of Cusco or Cathedral Basilica of the Virgin of the Assumption is the main temple of the city of Cusco, it was built with blocks extracted from an Inca site very close to Sacsayhuaman between 1560 and 1664 on the royal palace of the Inca Wiracocha.

This cathedral is one of the largest repositories of the art of the colony in Cusco since it houses innumerable works of the Cusqueña school, approximately 300 canvases of painting and original furniture among which, for example, its carved wooden altars.

2) Plaza de Armas
The majestic Plaza de Armas of Cusco is one of the most important symbols of the Inca culture in Peru, in the days of the Incas it was called “Haucaypata”, Quechua word that means place of the warrior. Currently the Plaza de Armas is located in the historic center of Cusco, and is surrounded by tourist restaurants, jewelry stores, travel agencies, tourist shops, etc. In its surroundings you can see the Cathedral, the Church of the Company and the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, dedicated to highlighting the art of the ancient cultures of Peru.

3) Twelve Angle Stone
The stone of the twelve angles is a block of stone of the Inca culture that is part of a palace on Hatun Rumiyoc street in the city of Cusco, whose twelve vertices fit perfectly between the other pieces of polished stone of the Inca wall. It is said, and it is enough to settle in front of him to check it, that such is perfection that even a sewing needle cannot be pierced between its gaps. The stone of the twelve angles is a clear example of the level of engineering and technology with which the Incas made their constructions, and the degree of precision with which they used to work.

4) San Blas
The San Blas neighborhood, formerly known as the craftsmen’s neighborhood, is located a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas, houses the most renowned popular artists of the city, its streets are steep and narrow with old mansions built by the Spaniards on important Inca foundations. It has an attractive square and the oldest part in Cusco built in 1563, which has a carved wooden pulpit considered as the maximum expression of the colonial era of Cusco.

5) San Pedro Market
A obligatory stop for all those travelers who are in the city of Cusco, is the Mercado de San Pedro, located very close to the main square, just in front of the train station, it is one of the most varied and exotic places As for regional foods and products, you can find fresh coca leaves, pure cocoa, coffee of the best quality, fruit juices and typical dishes. Without a doubt, ideal to fill yourself with provisions if you want to save money.

6) Sacsayhuamán
Sacsayhuamán is located 2 km from Cusco, it is one of the Inca constructions that most amazes the tourists of the world, its fame lies in the amazing precision with which the stone blocks that make it up are joined, it is said that its construction began During the government of Pachacútec and continued with Tupac Yupanqui, its construction was of a religious nature, but due to its location and style it was considered by the Spaniards and chroniclers as a military building. To reach this fortress on foot from the main square it will take us 25 minutes and 10 minutes by car.

7) Coricancha
The Coricancha, according to the chroniclers, was one of the most impressive buildings in Inca Cusco, it was one of the main Inca temples and was dedicated to the Inti (Sun God), it was built in carved granite blocks on whose joints gold was placed melted. The Spanish described the temple of the sun “Coricancha” as “fabulous, beyond belief.”

At present, the colonial structure of the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo, uses the original foundations and walls of the Inca Coricancha Temple as a base.