Qusco - Navel of the World

Peruvians seem compelled to write things on the mountains. Saw it all over. Here is a good example.
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First of all, we have to state the being the "Navel of the World" was intended as a compliment in the sense of being the center of the world.  Cusco was the primary capital city for the Inca who also had regional capitals at the height of their power.  (Quito was the northern city.)  For hundreds of years the Incas did not really do a whole lot of expanding and mostly stayed in this area.  As a result, this part of Peru in particular is covered in ruins and terraces they used for farming.  The rest of their territory they acquired in a period of about 25 years when one particular king got a wild hair for conquest.  At their peak, their empire spread from southern Columbia to northern Argentina.  They only lasted at this size for a couple hundred years before the Spanish showed up and ruined the whole deal.

Incan construction is famous for the way they fit stone together without the use of mortar. They also made windows and doors trapezoidal to aid in resisting earthquakes. This picture is of construction from around 1200 AD.
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The most famous archeological site near Cusco is the world famous Machu Picchu.  It was built high on a mountain summit to serve as an important religious and astronomical research center.  A description does not really do it justice so check out our pictures and then do a search online for someone who actually knows what they are talking about!

Another group of ruins near Cusco are located in the Sacred Valley.  It was considered sacred because of the river "Urubamba" which provided the main water supply for the heart of the Inca empire.  There are several sites in the valley.  Ollantaytambo, Pisac, Chinchero, and lots of other terraces, etc.  There is so much Incan construction laying around you really start to take it for granted after a while.  I found myself with mixed emotions as I viewed their work.  On the one hand I am really impressed by their ability to create very complex and massive structures primarily based on human power and with simple tools.  On the other hand, they got around to doing it about 4000 years later than ancient people in Eurasia.  (Now is a great time to plug "Guns, Germs, and Steel".  It tells you why.)

A Cathedral in Cusco. It is a good example of Inca-Colonial architecture where Inca foundation or part of a wall is intact and Spanish colonial form was added at a later date. The archs are examples of Colonial style.
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Finally, and while not as visually impressive, are the remnants of the Inca in the city of Cusco.  What is really cool about it though, is that a lot of their architecture serves as the foundation for modern buildings and cobblestone roads they built are still being used with cars driving over them!  They definitely built stuff for the long haul.

There is so much more than we could ever possibly type...  so, I´ll close with a recommendation.  When you come to check it out, stay in Aguas Calientes for a night to check out Machu Picchu in all its glory.  It does not make sense just reading this but when you get here you will understand.