Located in southeastern Peru, close to the Urubamba Valley in the Andes Mountain range lies the city of Cusco, the capital of the Cusco Region and the Cusco Province. Being the capital of the Incan Empire, it is a major tourist destination in Peru and was declared a UNESCO, World Heritage Site in 1983. Although the city is believed to have been founded by the Incas, studies have revealed that the Incas arrived here only after 1200 AD. Before them, Cusco was inhabited by indigenous tribes, who are also known to have built structures such as the temple near Sacsayhuaman and an aqueduct and roadways leading to historical sites.
The most important of historical sites that tourists from across the world come to visit is the grand archeological site of Machu Pichu. Millions of tourists trek up an Inca trail to get to this splendid site, which is considered a sacred place. It is located 80 km from Cusco at the peak of the Machu Pichu Mountain and is considered as the most important and highly frequented historical sites in Latin America. Apart from this wonder, Cusco has many other important and interesting sites to visit, among which is the Cathedral of Santa Domingo, a Spanish building that is built above the Sun Temple.
The other places of interest include the Sacsayhuaman fortress, which lies about two kilometers from Cusco and displays the defense system of the Incas. The temples of Tambomachay and Quenqo are also worth visiting apart from a number of other amazing historical sites from the past. The Huatanay Valley is rich in gold mines besides agricultural crops such as tea, coffee, barley, corn and quinoa are grown here in plenty. There are many restaurants in Cusco that serve a fusion of traditional Andean delights combined with International flavors that appeal to all tourists who can savor these wonderful cuisines.
The Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport serves Cusco. The climate here is divided into two seasons, the wet and the dry season, of which April to October are dry months and the months from November to March are termed as the wet season. The beautiful city is worth visiting at least once in a lifetime and if you are getting to see one of the wonders of the world, it makes it all the more worthwhile that you plan a visit here.
Photo by Luis Torres provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
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Photo by Nicola e Pina Peru 2007 provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by Neil Praught provided courtesy of Panoramio.com