City of Cuzco
Peru ·
Description
Cuzco is the city where two worlds forcibly merged. Conquistadors built Baroque churches on Inca temples, but the impossibly perfect stone walls—no mortar, no gaps—still support colonial buildings today. The Plaza de Armas pulses with syncretism of Pachamama and the Virgin. The Twelve-Angle Stone defies modern engineering.
Why It's a World Heritage Site
Cuzco was capital of the Inca Empire, pre-Columbian America's largest. Mortarless stone walls are a unique engineering feat. The fusion of Inca and colonial architecture creates an unparalleled urban landscape.
UNESCO Criteria
Frequently Asked Questions
For being Inca Empire capital with unique engineering walls, fused with Spanish colonial architecture.
It was inscribed in 1983 under criteria (iii) and (iv).
Altitude sickness; Cuzco is at 3,400 m. Acclimatize 1-2 days before intense activity.
Yes, all trips to Machu Picchu go through Cuzco.
Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Sacred Valley and Maras salt mines.