Cuzco
During our stay we visited and liked the following sites:
* Plaza de Armas: In the time of the Incas, the Place d'Armes was called Huacaypata or Place du Guerrier. It was a ceremonial square where the Inti Raymi or Fête du Soleil was held every year. This square was surrounded by the palaces of the Inca emperors Pachacutec, Sinchi Roca, Viracocha, Tupac Yupanqui and Huayna Capac.
* Catedral: The construction of the Cathedral began in 1560 and lasted until 1664. This Basilica Cathedral dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption has the shape of a Latin cross. Inside are beautiful paintings by artists from the Cuzco Huamán School. The façade is decorated in baroque, rococo and churrigueresque styles.
* Iglesia de la compania de Jesus: Built in 1566 on the ruins of the former Amarucancha Palace of Huayna Capac, it was rebuilt after the 1650 earthquake by the architect Juan Bautista Gilles in 1671. It has a central nave with 6 side chapels, underground chapels surrounded by labyrinths and secret passages in which were buried some of the most notable characters of the Conquest of Spanish colonization.
* Iglesia and Convento de la Merced: It was in 1536 that Fray Pedro Trujillo y Castañeda ordered the construction of this church in Plaza Espinar. But like most buildings in the city, the church of La Merced was destroyed by the earthquake in 1650. It owes its fame to the main cloister and its priceless monstrance, a piece of gold gold of 22 kilos and measuring 1.3 meters in height
* Templo del sol Qorikancha: The immense Qoricancha, or Golden Temple, occupied a central position in the Inca cult. Its wealth, breathtaking, was stolen by Pizarro during the conquest of the city in 1534 and the building was then replaced by the Santo Domingo convent, which combines baroque and Mudéjar styles. But in 1950, after an earthquake, we discovered the remains of the temple (foundations and some rooms) that we can still admire today.
* Museo Arte Religioso: Built on the ruins of Inca Roca’s palace, the former residence of the Marquis of Buenavista consists of charming Arab-Andalusian patios decorated with azulejos, from the Archbishop’s audience hall to the Mudejar-style painted ceilings. The museum presents a collection of French and Spanish furniture, altarpieces and religious paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries
* Museo Precolombino: Casa Cabrera, the house of the conquistador Alonso Díaz, brings together a selection of works from the collections of the Larco Museum in Lima, as well as colonial paintings. This museum specializes in the art of cultures Nazca, Mochica, Huari, Chimú, Chancay and of course, Inca.
* Museo Machu Picchu: Casa Concha, named after its former owner and governor of Cuzco in 1814, houses a remarkable exhibition featuring the remains of the city. It traces the history of the discovery of the Inca site through the remains of various expeditions.
* Saqsayhuaman: On one of the hills overlooking Cuzco stand three successive ramparts, composed of titanic granite blocks, connected by stairs and trapezoidal doors and delimiting three stacked platforms. The walls are mounted without mortar ... A feat!!! How did the Incas cut and move such blocks?
cuzco
we spend 6 days, which allows us to visit this beautiful city, rest, sort out the many photos and update the site.
First of all, we have to prepare our trip to the Machu Picchu and we have several options: either go through an agency that takes care of everything or organize ourselves.
We take the second option that suits us best.
Head to the "Peru Rail" agency for the purchase of our tickets and then the "Machu Picchu" agency for the site entrance. So our visit is scheduled on May 2 with a guide.
In the morning we take our time and our days are organized by visits to the sites, followed by dinners in the restaurant, by refreshment and by moments of rest.
We exchange a lot with the other crews, each one recounts his trip and gives information ... A great atmosphere settles between us and one evening we organize a "French" aperitif... A good moment of conviviality and exchange.
On the last day we buy two sweaters in pure alpaca ... A little souvenir of Peru!!!
Cuzco
" Cuzco " is not only the capital city of the Inca Empire, the Tahuantinsuyo, the navel of the world, it is also the archaeological capital of America, the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Cuzco, or Cusco as it is called, or Qosqo in the Quechua language, was declared a Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1983.
In the 14th century an ethnic group from the region of Lake Titicaca, is looking for new land to cultivate. They are the Incas and they set their sights on Cusco.
But the Cusco area was already occupied. Two peoples in particular were going to give the Inca warriors a hard time. The Ayamarca and the Chanca. For several years, Incas and Ayamarca clashed until the capture of the sovereign Ayamarca put an end to the confrontation.
The greatness of the Inca Empire really begins with the arrival on the throne of the great emperor Pachacutec around the year 1438.
The development of the capital reached its peak with Huayna Capac in 1493. Shortly before the arrival of the conquistadors, the emperor was struck by smallpox, a disease unknown in America. What he leaves behind is an empire with shaky foundations and, above all, an empire quickly torn apart by a war of succession between two half-brothers.
The Spaniards, led by Francisco Pizarro, arrived at Cusco on November 15, 1532. Then came the conquest of Cusco and all its wealth of gold and silver in 1533.
They built churches, palaces and colonial homes on the foundations of the former Inca buildings.
In 1650, an event changed the face of the city ; an earthquake that destroyed much of the colonial buildings.
The walls left by the Inca didn’t move.
Road to Cusco
We slept on the cemetery site where we were alone in the desert.
Before starting our climb on Cuzco, we stop in the town of "Nazca" to visit:
* Ruinas de Paredones: A former Inca checkpoint, it is not very well preserved, so it is difficult to get an idea of its structure. The Incas used it as an administrative control center between the mountains and the coast.
* Acueductos de Cantalloc: A network of underground aqueducts built by the Nazcas to transport water inland.
These are real underground tunnels that can reach up to 12m of depth. Some aqueducts still work and are used to irrigate the surrounding land.
According to local belief, the water comes from an underground lake hidden in the Cerro Blanco, the highest sand dune in South America. Every year, the locals go there to make offerings.
The distance to reach our next destination is about 700 km and knowing the state of the Peruvian road network we think it will take us 3 days.
We are on the axis "Lima - Cusco", relatively isolated road in poor condition on some parts
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The beauty of the scenery makes us forget the road conditions.
The first day we travel 182 km in 5 h 30 passing through a pass at 4 166 m.
On the course we see the highest dune in the world, culminating at 2,078 m of altitude and with a thickness of fine sand of about 1,000 m, 8 km long and 4 km wide.
Then we cross the region of "Pampa Galeras" where is the largest reserve of vicuna in the Andes with 40,000 specimens. The 68 communities in the region are responsible for its protection
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The second day the distance covered is 308 km in 7 h passing a pass to 4 517 m. Our city stage is not the most welcoming.
The third day we arrive at "Cusco" after 5 hours for 193 km. The exit of the city of Abancay is a difficult challenge ... It is a city clinging to the mountains with streets and alleys steeply sloping and barely passable.
Our arrival at Cusco is another challenge ... It takes us 1 hour to reach the campsite
We find ourselves in the city center, in alleys where the camper does not pass and where the GPS does not help us. As usual this one does not differentiate between a small car and a 3.5 ton vehicle. The traffic is dense and the behavior of Peruvians at the wheel is indescribable ... They are the kings of the horn!!!
Once at the campsite, we met three French crews: Christelle and Laurent, Sandra and Frédéric and Christophe. Then the next day Audrey and Quentin join us.
ROAD BOOK 147
MAVROS ODYSSEE
