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The origins of Cusco get lost in the night of times.
Archaeological excavations made us know that
primitive residents inhabited the valley of Cusco
(except for its bottom, then marshy) near three
millenniums ago.
Toward the XII century, Manco Cápac and his
sister-wife Mama Ocllo emerged from the waters of
the Lake Titicaca, semi Gods daughter and son of
Inti (the god Sun), with the mission of the
foundation of a new Kingdom that would improve the
conditions of life of the towns. Manco Cápac and
Mama Ocllo would have to walk until finding a place
in the earth where the great gold scepter that Manco
Cápac had would submerge, they walked to the north
and they arrived to Pacárec Tampu (Pacaritambo)
where rested in a small cave; to the dawn they
continued to the north arriving to the hill
Huanacaure and there the scepter submerged, and
there he founded the city of Cusco (Quechua
Language: the navel of the world).
Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo left in people's search,
and formed the Hanan Cusco. They taught them how to
work the earth and how to sow; they made and used
agricultural tools, artificial irrigation systems,
to build and to live in towns.
Inhabitants of other districts arrived when got
informed of the events, creating this way the
Tahuantisuyo, the great empire of the Incas, which
limits, after 14 successors of real lineage, reached
Colombia by the north, and northern Chile and
Argentina by the south; as capital Cusco reached its
maximum splendor.
It is known little more than names and legends from
the first Incas kings, from Pachacútec (1448-1471)
more information has gotten, the great conqueror who
transformed Cusco, reconstructing it. The Spaniards
arrived and occupied the city in 1533, when Huáscar
(Pachacútec's grandson) was the Inca king.
In this time Cusco was a city of admirable
architecture made in stone with wide plazas, big
temples and palaces decorated with abundant gold
pieces. Many of these colossal constructions have
been built for the eternity.
The Spanish Cusco has like base the foundations of
the Inca walls and the lines of its streets,
numerous buildings and churches were built, and a
flourishing art school was founded (XVII century -
XVIII), represented by numerous painters and authors
(paintings of the "Escuela Cusqueña", pulpit of San
Blas, Custody of the Cathedral and the Iglesia de la
Merced, etc.)
The cultural coalition Andean-Hispanic, has
determined very special characteristics in its
architecture and population, city of incomparable
beauty in the world, which conserves with pride
their customs and traditions, at the same time
progressively is incorporated to the modernity. To
this is added the privileged geographical scenery,
of beautiful landscapes, in which has been
developed.
Cusco is the most visited tourist destination in
Peru, and the wealthy attractiveness in the city and
its areas around, as well as "Ciudad Perdida de los
Incas" (Lost City of the Incas), Machu Picchu,
transforms it into one of the main tourist
attractiveness of the world, offering an excellent
quality of tourist services.
Source:
Go2Peru.com
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