The city of Cuzco

Cuzco Travel Guide

Machu Picchu

El Cuzco, the region with the most beautiful countryside on the planet crowned by six mountains more than 6,000 metres above sea level, it is the oldest city in the western hemisphere and the origin of the Inca civilisation. Renowned worldwide for the wonderful and archaeological finds in the city of Machupicchu, el Cuzco located on the mainland of South America is in the South-East of Peruvian territory. With an area of more that 76,225 Km2, is separated into regions. To the North is the region of Ucayali, to the South Arequipa and Pun, To the East, Madre de Dios and to the West Apurimac, Ayacuch and Junin. Recently, due to the regionalisation process in 1988, the regions of Madre de Dios and Apurímac together form La Regíon Inca (the Inca Region).

El Cuzco, a province of the region with the same name, has 105 districts and 13 provinces: Acomayo, Anta, Calca, Canas, Canchis, La Convención, Cuzco, Chumbivilcas, Espinar, Paruro, Paucartambo, Quispicanchis and Urumambla, the most populated being Convención, Canchis, Quispicanchis and Chumbibilcas.

A view of Cuzco

The Plaza de Armas

La City of Cuzco is in the western part of the valley of the river Watanay, situated 3,350 metres above sea level and it is one of the highest cities in the world. It is located 13 degrees 30´45" latitude south and 71 degrees 58´33" longitude west of the Greenwich Meridian and is one of the most important cities in Peru.

Fiestas and celebrations in Cuzco

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Every year on the 24th of June Cuzco celebrates the festival of 'Inti Raymi' (God of Sun celebration). The Inti Raymi symbolizes the eternal consecration of marriage between the Sun and his sons, the human beings. This festival takes place at the archeological complex of Sacsayhuamán, also called the Sacred House of the Sun. The locals celebrate the winter solstice, in other words the beginning of the Sun's New Year. This day was proclaimed by the high priest as the New Year: Inti Raymi! The second celebration is the 'Qoyllur Ritti'. Here faith reaches its pinnacle at the foot of the snow-capped mountain Ausangate on June 24th. In these days hundreds of the faithful come up to go on pilgrimage and celebrate Qoyllur Ritti, radiant with the snow, in a ceremony that combines the cult of the sun, the Christian images and the very ancient Gods of the mountains: the spirit of the Aunsangate, 'apu wamani' (hill) of Cuzco.

OTHER FIESTAS No nation on earth is quite as good at enjoying itself as Spain. There are so many fiestas that even if you could attend more than one a day you would not be able to see them all.