Cusco Scenic Historic Capital of Inca Empire

Cusco is the seventh-most populous city in Peru; in 2017, it had a population of 428,450. It is also the largest city in the Peruvian Andes , it was once capital of the Inca Empire, and is now known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. Plaza de Armas is the central square in the old city, with arcades, carved wooden balconies and Incan wall ruins. The baroque Santo Domingo Convent was built on top of the Incan Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha), and has archaeological remains of Inca stonework. Elevation: 3,399 m Founded: 23 March 1534 The city was declared in 1972 as "Cultural Heritage of the Nation" by Supreme Resolution No. 2900-72-ED. In 1983, during the VII session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, it was decided to declare this area as a World Heritage Site Tourism has been the backbone to the Cusco economy since the early 2000s, bringing in more than 1.2 million tourists per year.[49] In 2019, Cusco was the region that reached the highest number of tourists in Peru with more than 2.7 million tourists Túpac Amaru or Thupa Amaru (14 April 1545 – 24 September 1572)was the last Sapa Inca of the Neo-Inca State, the final remaining independent part of the Inca Empire. He was executed by the Spanish following a months-long pursuit after the fall of the Neo-Inca State. I visited Cusco 4 times, including 2 times with my family/children. Last time it was in July 2025 , when I came there with my 3 children out of 5: Alice, Peter, Victor .