MUNDO ANTIGUO TOURS - DESTINATION CUSCO

‘THE EARTH’S NAVEL’

‘To not see Cusco would be like pulling out my eyes.’

Chronicler Fernando Monteagudo, one of the first Spaniards to see Cusco.

What would have gone trough the minds of the first Europeans who arrived in Cusco? Meaning ‘the earth’s navel’ in the native language Quechua, Qosqo was a breathtaking place, and not only because it’s situated on an altitude of almost 3330 meters above sea level. Looking down from the ‘fortress’ of Sacsayhuamán, without doubt one of world’s most impressive constructions, they saw the puma shaped city of ‘more than a hundred thousand houses’ and the great central square, the Huacaypata.

Divided in two parts by the softly floating river Saphy, the square was twice a large as today and the ceremonial centre of the Inca Empire. Here, the Incas dropped a small amount of earth from each conquered region. It was covered by a 50 centimetres thick layer of white sand, mixed with seashells, and pieces of gold, silver and coral. Inca buildings and palaces surrounded the square: the huge ceremonial tower covered with plates of gold and silver; the Accllawasi, the palace of the Virgins of the Sun; the Amaru Cancha where the Incas kept exotic animals, mostly from the Amazon Rainforest; and the Suntur Wasi, the principle palace.

The most impressive building though, was the Qoricancha, the Sacred Temple of the Sun. The perfectly constructed walls were covered by more than 700 shades of gold, each over 2 centimetres thick. In the garden life size replicas of gold and silver of llamas, trees and flowers. In their golden seats the mummies of former Incas in beautiful cloths, taken care of by specially selected women.

Cusco was a sacred place for the Incas. According to the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega ‘it was something so extraordinary that if two Indians from the same social rank met each other […] he who came from Cusco was respected and seen as superior, only because he had visited this city’. Most of that old splendour is gone. Inca buildings got destructed as the Spaniards used the fabulous stonework for their own buildings. Many churches – among the most interesting the Cathedral (partly built with stones from Sacsayhuamán) and La Companía de Jesus (built by the Jesuits and considered the most beautiful church of Cusco; the bishop in his Cathedral complained with the Pope) – were placed on foundations of palaces and temples. The fabulous capital of the Incas made place for one of the most beautiful colonial centres in the New World.

Nowadays, Cusco is a strange mixture of different worlds. The Cathedral is placed on the foundations of the Suntur Wasi, palace of the Inca Wiracocha. Tourist look out of the window of their touring car as a group of indigenous dancers in traditional outfit pays tribute to the Señor de Qoyllur Rit’i. English and Mandarin, Spanish and Quechua: are all spoken on the same small square. A beggar asks for a piece of bread while tourists who pay 300 dollars per night for their hotel are looking for golden jewellery. Backpackers and alpinists, biologists and archaeologists: all gather for a beer in the Irish pub.

Tours

Named both the Kathmandu and the archaeological capital of the Americas, the continents oldest continuously inhabited city still is an enigmatic place. You can discover it by doing the classic City Tour or our own developed, unique 'Cusco de los Cusqueños' Tour. Cusco also is the starting point of tours to the Sacred Valley and to world famous Machu Picchu, the Inca citadel high in the Peruvian mountains. People from every corner of the world gather and prepare for the Inca Trail. From Cusco, tours leave to National Park Manu (one of world’s richest natural reserves), to Choquequirao and to other ‘lost Inca cities’ in the Vilcabamba region.

Workshops, Spanish classes & Accommodation

In this fascinating mixture of cultures we offer our special tours and workshops. You can follow a Spanish course or do volunteer work. One thing we know for sure: you won’t regret being here for a while!

So... you might take a look at our accommodation offers.

Boleto Turístico

To visit the museas and ruins in and near Cusco you need to buy a Boleto Turistico. Click here for more information.