Esther's photos with the keyword: Cuzco

Cusco, Peru AIMG 1377

"The Plaza de Armas was called ‘Huacaypata’ after its construction during the Inca Empire. The original plaza was twice the current size, and functioned as the cultural center of Inca life. Cuzco, which was the capital of the Inca Empire, was designed in the shape of a Puma to reflect their Inca animal mythology. Historians proclaim the plaza was intentionally built at the location of the heart of the Puma, in the center of the city. The location of the Plaza is no coincidence. The Plaza is used for most of the city’s events, gatherings, and festivals. Historians feel that the Plaza functioned as the cultural center, or "heart," of the Inca Empire. In 1532 Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro defeated the Inca Empire and took control of Cuzco, renaming the Plaza to "Plaza de Armas." The Spanish reduced the size of the Plaza by building two Churches, la Catedral and la Compañia. La Catedral was built where the palace of Inca Wirancocha once stood. La Compañia was built in 1571 by the Jesuits during the time of Wayna Capac, the last ruler of the unconquered empire. An earthquake in 1650 destroyed the church leading to its immediate reconstruction, which resulted in one of the most beautiful churches in Latin America. The Plaza de Armas portrays the city's diverse history while remaining the center of Cuzco life and culture." www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=612 AIMG 1410

A typical embroidered skirt worn by local women near Saqsaywaman, Peru. AIMG 1394

A local woman near Saqsaywaman, Peru cooking potatoes in a charcoal fire she made in the dirt. AIMG 1395

Saqsaywaman, Peru. "The best-known zone of Saksaywaman includes its great plaza and its adjacent three massive terrace walls. The stones used in the construction of these terraces are among the largest used in any building in prehispanic America and display a precision of fitting that is unmatched in the Americas. The stones are so closely spaced that a single piece of paper will not fit between many of the stones. This precision, combined with the rounded corners of the blocks, the variety of their interlocking shapes, and the way the walls lean inward, is thought to have helped the ruins survive devastating earthquakes in Cuzco. The longest of three walls is about 400 meters. They are about 6 meters tall. The estimated volume of stone is over 6,000 cubic meters. Estimates for the weight of the largest Andesite block vary from 128 tonnes to almost 200 tonnes" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saksaywaman AIMG 1380

Saqsaywaman, Peru. "The best-known zone of Saksaywaman includes its great plaza and its adjacent three massive terrace walls. The stones used in the construction of these terraces are among the largest used in any building in prehispanic America and display a precision of fitting that is unmatched in the Americas. The stones are so closely spaced that a single piece of paper will not fit between many of the stones. This precision, combined with the rounded corners of the blocks, the variety of their interlocking shapes, and the way the walls lean inward, is thought to have helped the ruins survive devastating earthquakes in Cuzco. The longest of three walls is about 400 meters. They are about 6 meters tall. The estimated volume of stone is over 6,000 cubic meters. Estimates for the weight of the largest Andesite block vary from 128 tonnes to almost 200 tonnes" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saksaywaman AIMG 1391

La Catedral in the Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru. "The Plaza de Armas was called ‘Huacaypata’ after its construction during the Inca Empire. The original plaza was twice the current size, and functioned as the cultural center of Inca life. Cuzco, which was the capital of the Inca Empire, was designed in the shape of a Puma to reflect their Inca animal mythology. Historians proclaim the plaza was intentionally built at the location of the heart of the Puma, in the center of the city. The location of the Plaza is no coincidence. The Plaza is used for most of the city’s events, gatherings, and festivals. Historians feel that the Plaza functioned as the cultural center, or "heart," of the Inca Empire. In 1532 Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro defeated the Inca Empire and took control of Cuzco, renaming the Plaza to "Plaza de Armas." The Spanish reduced the size of the Plaza by building two Churches, la Catedral and la Compañia. La Catedral was built where the palace of Inca Wirancocha once stood. La Compañia was built in 1571 by the Jesuits during the time of Wayna Capac, the last ruler of the unconquered empire. An earthquake in 1650 destroyed the church leading to its immediate reconstruction, which resulted in one of the most beautiful churches in Latin America. The Plaza de Armas portrays the city's diverse history while remaining the center of Cuzco life and culture." www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=612 AIMG 1347

Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru. "The Plaza de Armas was called ‘Huacaypata’ after its construction during the Inca Empire. The original plaza was twice the current size, and functioned as the cultural center of Inca life. Cuzco, which was the capital of the Inca Empire, was designed in the shape of a Puma to reflect their Inca animal mythology. Historians proclaim the plaza was intentionally built at the location of the heart of the Puma, in the center of the city. The location of the Plaza is no coincidence. The Plaza is used for most of the city’s events, gatherings, and festivals. Historians feel that the Plaza functioned as the cultural center, or "heart," of the Inca Empire. In 1532 Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro defeated the Inca Empire and took control of Cuzco, renaming the Plaza to "Plaza de Armas." The Spanish reduced the size of the Plaza by building two Churches, la Catedral and la Compañia. La Catedral was built where the palace of Inca Wirancocha once stood. La Compañia was built in 1571 by the Jesuits during the time of Wayna Capac, the last ruler of the unconquered empire. An earthquake in 1650 destroyed the church leading to its immediate reconstruction, which resulted in one of the most beautiful churches in Latin America. The Plaza de Armas portrays the city's diverse history while remaining the center of Cuzco life and culture." www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=612 AIMG 1352

Temple of the Sun (Santo Domingo), Cusco, Peru "Qurikancha (Quechua quri gold, kancha enclosure, enclosed place, yard, a frame, or wall that encloses, hispanicized spelling Coricancha), originally named Inti Kancha (Quechua inti sun) or Inti Wasi (Quechua for "sun house"), was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God. It was one of the most revered temples of the capital city of Cusco. The walls and floors were once covered in sheets of solid gold, and its adjacent courtyard was filled with golden statues. Spanish reports tell of its opulence that was "fabulous beyond belief". When the Spanish required the Inca to raise a ransom in gold for the life of the leader Atahualpa, most of the gold was collected from Qurikancha. The Spanish colonists built the Church of Santo Domingo on the site, demolishing the temple and using its foundations for the cathedral. Construction took most of a century. This is one of numerous sites where the Spanish incorporated Inca stonework into the structure of a colonial building. Major earthquakes severely damaged the church, but the Inca stone walls, built out of huge, tightly-interlocking blocks of stone, still stand due to their sophisticated stone masonry. Nearby is an underground archaeological museum, which contains numerous interesting pieces, including mummies, textiles, and sacred idols from the site. The site now also includes the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qurikancha AIMG 1346

Temple of the Sun (Santo Domingo), Cusco, Peru "Qurikancha (Quechua quri gold, kancha enclosure, enclosed place, yard, a frame, or wall that encloses, hispanicized spelling Coricancha), originally named Inti Kancha (Quechua inti sun) or Inti Wasi (Quechua for "sun house"), was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God. It was one of the most revered temples of the capital city of Cusco. The walls and floors were once covered in sheets of solid gold, and its adjacent courtyard was filled with golden statues. Spanish reports tell of its opulence that was "fabulous beyond belief". When the Spanish required the Inca to raise a ransom in gold for the life of the leader Atahualpa, most of the gold was collected from Qurikancha. The Spanish colonists built the Church of Santo Domingo on the site, demolishing the temple and using its foundations for the cathedral. Construction took most of a century. This is one of numerous sites where the Spanish incorporated Inca stonework into the structure of a colonial building. Major earthquakes severely damaged the church, but the Inca stone walls, built out of huge, tightly-interlocking blocks of stone, still stand due to their sophisticated stone masonry. Nearby is an underground archaeological museum, which contains numerous interesting pieces, including mummies, textiles, and sacred idols from the site. The site now also includes the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qurikancha AIMG 1367

Photographed at the Plaza de Armas, Cuzco, Peru. This woman lives on a farm during the week and carves gourds to sell to tourists when she comes into town on the weekend. She carries her child all day on her back wrapped in a shawl (manta). I purchased a gourd from her and she allowed me to take her photo. AIMG 1227

Cuzco, Peru AIMG 1207

Cuzco, Peru AIMG 1206

Bell tower of La Merced, Cuzco, Peru. This church was built between 1657 and 1680. For more information, see www.cusco-peru.org/cultural-cusco-churches-cusco-merced-convent-church.shtml . AIMG 12109

Bell tower of La Merced, Cuzco, Peru. This church was built between 1657 and 1680. For more information, see www.cusco-peru.org/cultural-cusco-churches-cusco-merced-convent-church.shtml . AIMG 1210

This shopkeeper was asleep among the flowers in the San Pedro Market in Cuzco, Peru. AIMG 1177