Cusco
District Guide

add to Travel Bag (NEW)  

Without a doubt, the beauty and majesty of Cusco are unique. You only have to walk through its streets, to observe the lavish colonial-era houses and exquisite monuments, and you are transported back into the past. Cusco possesses a magic which charms even the most experienced traveler.

Museums and Monuments
The best way to make the most of all the attractions in Cusco is to purchase the boleto turistico or "tourist ticket" with which you can access all the important cultural and historical museums and churches. In the center of the city is the Plaza de Armas, which was reputedly designed by the Inca Manco Capac. It is also called Aucaypata, which in quechua means "warrior square." In the square stands the splendid La Catedral, which took 94 years to build. Next to this are the chapels Capilla de la Sagrada Familia, recently restored, and the Capilla del Triunfo whose walls are adorned with masterpieces from the Cusco School, including works by Diego Quispe Tito.

The Compañía de Jesús, pride of the Jesuit order, is also located in the Plaza de Armas, a block away in Calle Hatun Rumiyoq. This houses the Palacio del Arzobispado, which has some valuable works of art. On this same street, you can observe the famous rock with 12 angles, which was a part of the Inca Roca's palace.

San Blas, the neighborhood of artisans
Formerly known as Toqocachi (Salt cave), it was due to the works of artists Mendivil, Olave and Merida that this neighborhood came to be known as the artisans district. Barrio de San Blas is a unique, picturesque area that has recently been restored. When walking through the quaint streets of this magical neighborhood, you can easily imagine yourself in the 19th Century. The San Blas has an enormous wooden pulpit carved from a single piece of wood by the Inca artist and architect Tomas Tuyro Tupac.

Towards the Templo del Sol
Ten minutes from the Plaza de Armas is Santo Domingo, and the stunning, extravagant Korikancha, or Templo del Sol ("Temple of the Sun"), believed to have once been covered with gold. In front of the temple is the "Casa de los Cuatro Bustos" now occupied by a hotel. Descending toward Avenida El Sol, you can get another view of the Korikancha and visit the museum.

Other Important Monuments
Towards the center again, in Calle Mantas, stands La Merced, which houses La Custodia, a grandiose colonial-era sculpture in solid gold one meter high. The Casa Garcilaso has a large collection of Pre-Hispanic and colonial art, and in San Francisco, there is the temple of the same name, with one of the largest paintings in Latin America.