Top 10 Historic Sites of Cusco, Peru

Sitting at 11,152 feet up in the Andes Mountains is Cusco, the former capital of the Inca empire. The city is one of the western hemisphere’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and today, just under 500,000 people call it home. While most visitors come to see nearby Machu Picchu, the city itself is worth spending at least a week in. In addition to its museums, architecture, and culture, Cusco has its awe-inspiring historical sites. Below are the top 10 historical sites in Cusco, Peru.

Overlooking the city is the Inca fortress and temple known as Saqsaywaman. The Inca ruler Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui built it in the 15th century out of massive stones. The walls stretch over 1,000 feet and form a building in the shape of a puma. The complex is an archeological mystery as no writing remains of how it was built. One of the biggest mysteries is the stonework. The stones, some weighing several tons, were meticulously placed together without mortar. Even during devastating earthquake events that destroyed modern buildings nearby, the walls remain unmovable.

As you walk through the ruins, you’ll encounter massive archways, ancient stone paths, and what are believed to be ceremonial grounds. Aqueducts carry water from the nearby springs to various locations throughout the complex. Saqsaywaman is well worth a half-day visit. At the main entrance at the top of the hill, there are official tour guides who are full of unique insights and facts about the site and the area.

9. Qorikancha

On the southern end of the ancient center of Cusco stood the empire’s grand temple, Qorikancha. The Inca built its lavish gold facades and towering walls to honor the sun god Inti. In the 14th century, it was the center of Cusco’s religious elite and the burial site for several Inca rulers.

That all changed when the Inca Empire came to a halt in 1572 when the Spanish finished their bloody conquest of the empire. The gold was looted, and the once monumental structures were destroyed. With the materials, the Spanish built the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo of Guzmán directly on top of the temple’s ruins.

You can visit the ruins and church today as part of a museum tour. Inside, you can see original stone walls, carvings, and artwork, as well as former astronomical observatories and courtyards. The museum is full of information and has English-speaking guides who are experts on the temple’s history. Outside the temple ruins, you can see weekly events and festivals. The largest is Inti Raymi on June 24. This festival celebrates the sun god Inti and has a history that goes back to the Inca.

In the foothills above Cusco is Q’enco, a large ruin complex featuring a labyrinth of stones and tunnels. Its name simply means labyrinth in Quechua, the Indigenous language of the Inca and modern-day Andes. The site’s origin and purpose remain a mystery because the Spanish disassembled many of the original buildings to construct their colonial buildings in central Cusco. Still, archeologists agree that although the site was an important ceremonial and burial ground for the Inca, its origins may go back even further.

Q’enco is divided into two sites, Big Q’enco and Small Q’enco, the latter of which is closed off to tourists. Big Q’enco features plenty of unique Inca stonework and features that may have been used in astrological observations. One of the most mysterious features is a stone slab, which researchers believe was a stone altar used for sacrifices.

7. Puka Pukara Archaeological Complex

The Puka Pukara site is roughly 20 minutes by car north of Cusco. It was once an Inca fortress and checkpoint that defended the empire’s capital city from invaders. The archeological site features several buildings and small water channels. Its name means Red Fortress in Quechua. It was likely originally built by pre-Inca civilizations. The Inca Emperor Pachacutec is believed to have ordered an expansion of the fortress, giving the structure its present-day design.

Visiting the fortress, you’ll get to see intricate Inca stonework and great views of the nearby valley. You can walk through the fortresses’ three levels. The first two levels contain rooms and terraces, while the third level remains clear of any remains.

Just across the road from Puka Pukara is the mysterious archeological site of Tambomachay. This small site features beautiful stone walls built right into the hillside and trapezoidal niches. The most unique aspect of the site, other than the precise stonework, is its spring aqueduct. Spring water continuously flows through the aqueduct and feeds small human-made waterfalls that are built into cascading terraces.

Tambomachay’s origins and purpose remain unsolved by archeologists. However, because of the incredible stone aqueducts and peaceful surroundings, many scholars believe that it was likely a bath or spa used by the Inca royalty. Other experts think that the structure, because of its terraced design, was probably used for the empire’s military. Regardless of its original purpose, the site is full of historical significance. After your visit, consider hiking up to the nearby caves, just above the site.

5. Sapantiana Aqueduct and San Blas

As you hike up the hill towards Saqsaywaman from the historical center of the city, you’ll find the colonial aqueduct Sapantiana. This intriguing structure was built during the city’s Spanish 17th-century colonial period. It originally brought water from the nearby springs to the center of the city. The aqueduct is one of the top historical attractions of the San Blas Neighborhood. Also nearby are the remnants of the Huaca San Blas, a small Inca archeological complex that was destroyed by the Spanish. Throughout the neighborhood, you can find original Inca walls and landmarks. At the far end of the neighborhood is San Cristobal Church. This convent is home to weekend markets, festivals, and traditional celebrations throughout the year.

In Cusco’s magnificent central square, or Plaza Mayor, is Cusco Cathedral, one of the city’s most prominent historical landmarks. The Spanish built the Gothic-Renaissance cathedral between 1559 and 1654 on top of an Inca temple. Stones from the temple and nearby sites were used in its construction.

The cathedral features a large crypt and several rooms holding artifacts, including a room dedicated to silver. During its construction, Indigenous workers took the time to add unique elements to the church, including a carved jaguar head on the doors.

Next to the cathedral are two smaller chapels, the Iglesia del Triunfo and Sagrada Familia. During your visit, don’t miss The Last Supper painting by Marcos Zapata and other pieces of artwork displayed throughout the cathedral.

3. Plaza Mayor

Cusco’s Plaza Mayor is full of Inca walls and monuments, colonial buildings, and centuries-old churches. The narrow alleys that stretch out from the central plaza were built by the Inca. Many, including Calle Loreto, feature original Inca stonework and road design, which have remained unchanged for centuries.

One of Plaza Mayor’s major landmarks is the Church of the Society of Jesus. Like most of central Cusco, it was built on top of a previously existing Inca building, in this case a royal palace. The Jesuits built the church in 1571 and later rebuilt it after the devastating earthquake of 1650.

Also worth visiting are the Universidad Nacional de Arte Diego Quispe Tito del Cusco and the Basilica Menor de la Merced. The basilica dates back to 1535 and is one of Cusco’s oldest churches. The University features impressive colonial architecture and one of the city’s most impressive courtyards.

One of the most important aspects of Cusco’s Plaza Mayor are its cultural festivals. Every year, Indigenous celebrations, including the Inti Raymi, take place here. During this festival, hundreds of people dressed in traditional clothing dance and march from Qorikancha to the Plaza Mayor. The festival started in 1430 as a way to give thanks to the sun god and acknowledge the winter solstice.

The Twelve Angled Stone is one of Cusco’s most visited monuments. The massive green diorite stone was once part of the walls of the destroyed Inca Palace of Hatunrumiyoc. It features precise stonework without mortar that seems to defy modern architectural knowledge, given the Inca’s lack of modern tools and measurement devices.

The Inca wall continues around the colonial building. As you enter the narrow alleyway, you’ll come to other notable stone carvings of a puma and a serpent. For the Inca, these animals symbolized the planes of existence. Serpents represented the realm of the dead, while pumas symbolized the earthly realm.

Nearby are more walls featuring incredible examples of Inca stonework. The Wall of the Seven Serpents is one of the most unique, featuring seven serpent designs carved into the rocks. The entire alleyway is surrounded by original Inca stonework, making it one of the most breathtaking historical monuments in the city.

1. Mercado Central de San Pedro in Cusco

Peru is world famous for its lively markets, and Cusco’s San Pedro Market is no exception. This spacious market is the oldest in the city. Gustave Eiffel, the civil engineer who built Paris’ Eiffel Tower, designed the market building in 1925. Since then, it has remained the central market for the historic center of the city.

Here, you can find endless varieties of produce, including fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and traditional products. The market is the perfect place to buy potatoes. The tuber was first cultivated here around 8,000 years ago and there are over 4,000 varieties known in Peru.

Visitors are also interested in traditional medicine shops. There, you can find traditional herbs, plants, oils, and medicines that have remained important to traditional medicine for millennia.