Cusco
The province of Cusco was created by the decree of April 26 of 1822. Its capital, the city of the Cusco (3.399 meters above the sea level), has been declared by the UNESCO as historical patrimony of the humanity. In it are superposed and coexisted Incas and Spaniards elements until reaching a singular symbiosis: the mestization. Between the most outstanding monuments they appear the temple of the Sun, Koricancha, the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, the palaces of the Incas, Tambomachay, Incaraqay, Huanacaure, Tarawi, Patallacta, Ticatica and the different churches and colonial houses. For being the center of the Tahuantinsuyo and capital of its empire is called the “historical Capital of Peru”.
In addition, it has natural sites of impressive beauty, like the Pukaorco mountain and mountain ranges of Vilcabamba and Vilcanota, with optimum zones for the excursions and trekking; and the town of Saylla, famous for its chicharrones or fried pork.
Cusco or Qosqo means “navel of the world” in quechua language, in reference to the gigantic road network (Qhapac ñan) that started off, taking as it bases the imaginary lines of measurement or ceques, from the capital to the most recondite corners of the empire.
The province of the Cusco has an extension of 617 km ² and one population of 304.152 inhabitants (estimation to year 2000), distributed in its 8 districts: Cusco, Ccorca, Poroy, San Jerónimo, San Sebastián, Santiago, Saylla and Wanchaq.