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Cusco and the Sacred Valley
28th June 2010
Cusco, founded around 1100AD, was the capital and spiritual centre of the Inca Empire until the Spanish arrived in 1532.
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Today Cusco contains a beautiful mix of Inca and Spanish architecture. As we were walking the Inca Trail we missed the annual Inti Raymi Festival (Festival of the Sun) in Cusco but were lucky enough to watch the dress rehersal a few days before without the crowds. Apart from being a lovely place to stay, Los Niños Hotel uses the profit to feed and care for some 600 street children in Cusco.
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The fertile Urubamba River Valley or Sacred Valley close to Cusco has colourful markets and many Inca ruins.
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Jesuit Church (Iglesia de la Companía de Jesús) on the Plaza
Monasterio Santa Teresa
The twelve sided stone in an Inca wall in Cusco
Iglesia de San Blás
Cusco street
Ceramic bulls on the roof to say thank you to the Mother Earth
Iglesia de Santo Domingo built on Inca foundations
Iglesia de San Francisco
Iglesia de San Pedro
Arco Santa Clara
Guinea pig - a real delicacy
Hotel Los Niños
The Sacred Valley
Saqsayhuamán outside of Cusco
Stone doorway
Huge stones used to make the walls
Písac and its terraces
Steep stairway at Písac
Sacrificial altars at Q´engo Inca site
500 year old fountains still running at Tambomachay Inca site
Ollantaytambo at the end of the Sacred Valley
Fountain at Ollantaytambo