Cusco: Inca Heritage and Architecture

At an altitude of 3,400 metres, Cusco lies in a fertile alluvial valley fed by several rivers. In the heart of the central Peruvian Andes, the city combines the heritage of the imperial Inca city with Hispanic culture. UNESCO describes Cusco as an exceptional example of this connection, expressed in a distinctive urban layout and architectural form. For travellers, this dual influence provides a clear thread to follow: interest can begin with the city’s layout and continue through historic buildings to art collections. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Cusco, this cultural character can help you decide whether a city with a strong historical character suits your travel plans.

A city with several historical layers

Cusco preserves the urban layout of the imperial Inca city. After the Spanish conquest, temples, monasteries and mansions were built over the Inca city. The historic centre thus preserves traces of the Inca Empire and brings together the Andean worldview and Hispanic heritage. The later buildings stand on the urban foundations of the Inca period. The chronological distinction is important: the Inca city forms the older urban foundation, while the buildings erected after the conquest mark the later layer. Cusco can therefore be understood through the relationship between these two levels, not just through individual historic buildings.

Place names, too, preserve meanings from the past. During the Inca period, Cusco’s Plaza de Armas was called Haukaypata, a Quechua word meaning “place of the warrior”. The history of the name thus complements the history of the buildings: Cusco’s cultural heritage is evident not only in its architectural layers, but also in names handed down over time.

Architectural history and collections

The Palacio Arzobispal is a specific example of this architectural layering. The building dates from the viceroyalty period, is influenced by Arab architecture and was built on the foundations of the palace of Inca Roca. Today, it houses the Museo de Arte Religioso. The building thus brings together the earlier palace foundations, the viceroyalty-era construction and the religious art collection as clearly distinct aspects.

The Museo y Convento de Santa Catalina offers another perspective. It was built in 1605 on the former Acllahuasi, the House of the Chosen Women. Its exhibitions include paintings, textiles, wood carvings and colonial altarpieces. The former Acllahuasi provides an older point of reference in the city’s history, while the exhibitions draw attention to art and craftsmanship.

The collection at Cusco Cathedral has a different focus: it preserves a significant collection of paintings from the Cusco School, as well as objects made of repoussé silver. In contrast to Santa Catalina’s varied exhibitions, the focus here is on a particular painting tradition and silverwork. These different emphases give culture enthusiasts specific points of reference for getting to know Cusco through its architectural history, historic names and art collections.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Checacupe, Huarocondo, Urubamba, Quillabamba, Lamay, Soray, Oroya, Andahuaylillas.

Back to the main travel overview: Cuzco.