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Quechua ( / ˈ k ɛ tʃ u ə / , Spanish: [ˈketʃwa] ), also called Runa simi ( Quechua: [ˈɾʊna ˈsɪmɪ] , 'people's language') in Southern Quechua , is an indigenous language family that originated in central Peru and thereafter spread to other countries of the Andes . Derived from a common ancestral " Proto-Quechua " language, it is today the most widely spoken pre-Columbian language family of the Americas, with the number of speakers estimated at 8–10 million speakers in 2004, and just under 7 million from the most recent census data available up to 2011. Approximately 13.9% (3.7 million) of Peruvians speak a Quechua language.

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81-685: Cusco or Cuzco ( Latin American Spanish: [ˈkusko] ; Quechua : Qosqo or Qusqu , both pronounced [ˈqɔsqɔ] ) is a city in southeastern Peru , near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and the Huatanay river. It is the capital of the eponymous province and department . The city is the seventh most populous in Peru ; in 2017, it had a population of 428,450. Its elevation

162-496: A cathedral , university and archdiocese . A major earthquake on 21 May hit in 1950, and caused damage in more than one third of the city's structures. The Dominican Priory and Church of Santo Domingo, which were built on top of the impressive Qurikancha (Temple of the Sun), were among the affected colonial era buildings. Inca architecture withstood the earthquake. Many of the old Inca walls were at first thought to have been lost after

243-618: A central zone that constitutes the World Heritage Site proper and a buffer zone. One of the characteristics that the Incas achieved with their urban plan in Cusco was the respect for the geographical matrix when building their fabric, since they responded with different design strategies to the rugged topography of the Andean area at 3399 meters above sea level The native language is Quechua , although

324-553: A definite plan in which two rivers were channeled around the city. Archeologists have suggested that this city plan was replicated at other sites. The city fell to the sphere of Huáscar during the Inca Civil War after the death of Huayna Capac in 1528. It was captured by the generals of Atahualpa in April 1532 in the Battle of Quipaipan . Nineteen months later, Spanish explorers invaded

405-623: A flag, and the Congress of the Republic of Peru corroborated the conclusion of National Academy of Peruvian History: "The official use of the wrongly called 'Tawantinsuyu flag' is a mistake. In the Andean World there did not exist the concept of a flag, it did not belong to their historic context". The first recorded use of the rainbow flag in Peru was related to the Co-operative movement that entered

486-550: A form of Quechua, which in the Cuzco region particularly has been heavily influenced by Aymara , hence some of the characteristics that still distinguish the Cuzco form of Quechua today. Diverse Quechua regional dialects and languages had already developed in different areas, influenced by local languages, before the Inca Empire expanded and further promoted Quechua as the official language of

567-1043: A fourth, a northern or Peruvian branch. The latter causes complications in the classification, however, as various dialects (e.g. Cajamarca–Cañaris , Pacaraos , and Yauyos ) have features of both Quechua I and Quechua II, and so are difficult to assign to either. Torero classifies them as the following: Willem Adelaar adheres to the Quechua I / Quechua II (central/peripheral) bifurcation. But, partially following later modifications by Torero, he reassigns part of Quechua II-A to Quechua I: Ancash (Huaylas–Conchucos) Alto Pativilca–Alto Marañón–Alto Huallaga Yaru Wanka (Jauja–Huanca) Yauyos–Chincha (Huangáscar–Topará) Pacaraos Lambayeque (Cañaris) Cajamarca Lincha Laraos Kichwa ("Ecuadorian" or Highlands and Oriente) Chachapoyas (Amazonas) Lamas (San Martín) Ayacucho Cusco Puno (Collao) Northern Bolivian (Apolo) Southern Bolivia Santiago del Estero Landerman (1991) does not believe

648-412: A golden sun emblem, as the central element, symbolizing the city's connection to its Inca heritage. The Anthem of Cusco was composed by Roberto Ojeda Campana with lyrics by Luis Nieto Miranda in 1944. It was officially adopted as the city's anthem and has been sung at public events since then. In 1991, the anthem was translated into Quechua by Faustino Espinoza Navarro and Mario Mejía Waman. The anthem

729-467: A list of foods and beverages usually found in a Cusco picantería: Other dishes include chairo , adobo , rocoto relleno , kapchi , lawas or creams made with corn or chuño , and Timpu , a dish originating from Cusco served during Carnival Chiri Uchu is a typical dish of the locality not offered in picanterías, as it is consumed in June during the Cusco festivities of Inti Raymi and, primarily, during

810-535: A reference point, the overall degree of diversity across the family is a little less than that of the Romance or Germanic families, and more of the order of Slavic or Arabic . The greatest diversity is within Central Quechua, or Quechua I, which is believed to lie close to the homeland of the ancestral Proto-Quechua language. Alfredo Torero devised the traditional classification, the three divisions above, plus

891-600: A seven-color flag has different uses depending on the context. It is used as the flag for Quechua languages , popular, but unofficial national flag of the Quechua people and flag representing the Inca heritage in general. Quechuans in South Bolivia ( Kolla ) used this flag, but in recent years the symbol of Chakana has become more popular in Bolivia. Its use as an Inca heritage flag

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972-574: A significant influence on other native languages of the Americas, such as Mapuche . It is difficult to measure the number of Quechua speakers. The number of speakers given varies widely according to the sources. The total in Ethnologue 16 is 10 million, primarily based on figures published 1987–2002, but with a few dating from the 1960s. The figure for Imbabura Highland Quechua in Ethnologue , for example,

1053-518: A staunch supporter of the Academia Mayor de la Lengua Quechua , between 1983 and 1995 the Quechua name Qosqo was officially adopted for the city. Tourism in the city was drastically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru and the 2022–2023 Peruvian protests , with the latter event costing the area 10 million soles daily. Cusco extends throughout the Huatanay (or Watanay) river valley. Located on

1134-531: A true genetic classification is possible and divides Quechua II so that the family has four geographical–typological branches: Northern, North Peruvian, Central, and Southern. He includes Chachapoyas and Lamas in North Peruvian Quechua so Ecuadorian is synonymous with Northern Quechua. Quechua I (Central Quechua, Waywash ) is spoken in Peru's central highlands, from the Ancash Region to Huancayo . It

1215-643: A year and uses the Cusco Municipal Theater . Among other events, the Imperial City was a venue for the 2004 Copa América , hosting the third-place match between the Colombia and Uruguay national teams. The most popular sport in the city is football (soccer) , with three main clubs. Cienciano participates in the Liga 1 (First Division) and is the only Peruvian club to win an international tournament, winning

1296-459: Is 300,000, an estimate from 1977. The missionary organization FEDEPI, on the other hand, estimated one million Imbabura dialect speakers (published 2006). Census figures are also problematic, due to under-reporting. The 2001 Ecuador census reports only 500,000 Quechua speakers, compared to the estimate in most linguistic sources of more than 2 million. The censuses of Peru (2007) and Bolivia (2001) are thought to be more reliable. Additionally, there

1377-404: Is a popular dish in the city. The local gastronomy presents a diversified array of dishes resulting from the mestizaje and fusion of its pre-Inca , Inca , colonial , and modern traditions. It is a variation of Andean Peruvian cuisine , although it maintains some typical cultural traits of southern Peru. Although the list of typical dishes may vary among individuals, Tapia and García present

1458-589: Is a secondary division in Quechua II between the grammatically simplified northern varieties of Ecuador, Quechua II-B, known there as Kichwa , and the generally more conservative varieties of the southern highlands, Quechua II-C, which include the old Inca capital of Cusco . The closeness is at least in part because of the influence of Cusco Quechua on the Ecuadorean varieties in the Inca Empire. Because Northern nobles were required to educate their children in Cusco, this

1539-455: Is an unknown number of speakers in emigrant communities. There are significant differences among the varieties of Quechua spoken in the central Peruvian highlands and the peripheral varieties of Ecuador, as well as those of southern Peru and Bolivia. They can be labeled Quechua I (or Quechua B, central) and Quechua II (or Quechua A, peripheral). Within the two groups, there are few sharp boundaries, making them dialect continua . However, there

1620-524: Is around 3,400 m (11,200 ft). The city was the capital of the Inca Empire until the 16th-century Spanish conquest . In 1983, Cusco was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO with the title " City of Cusco ". It has become a major tourist destination, hosting over 2 million visitors a year and providing passage to numerous Incan ruins, such as Machu Picchu , one of the Seven modern wonders of

1701-528: Is between −8.9 and 30 °C (16.0 and 86.0 °F). Sunshine hours peak in July, the equivalent of January in the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, February, the equivalent of August in the Northern Hemisphere, has the least sunshine. In 2006, Cusco was found to be the spot on Earth with the highest average ultraviolet light level. Throughout its history, Cusco has had a marked political importance. During

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1782-650: Is considered the most important folkloric institution in the city and was recognized by the Peruvian government as the first folkloric institution in the country and by the regional government as a Living Cultural Heritage of the Cusco region. It is a permanent artistic group of the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of the Cusco Regional Government , created by Directoral Resolution No. 021/INC-Cusco on March 10, 2009. It performs more than 50 concerts

1863-424: Is controversial due to its non-historic nature. Nevertheless, its use shows respect for the history of the Inca Empire . Chronicles of the conquest of Peru mention flags used by the Incas, or something that chroniclers interpreted as a flag. The question of the flag's historicity is closely related to the wiphala or Aymara flag. María Rostworowski in 2010 claimed no evidence that ancient cultures used such

1944-513: Is distributed by certain missionary groups. Quechua, along with Aymara and minor indigenous languages, remains essentially a spoken language . In recent years, Quechua has been introduced in intercultural bilingual education (IBE) in Peru , Bolivia , and Ecuador . Even in these areas, the governments are reaching only a part of the Quechua-speaking populations. Some indigenous people in each of

2025-434: Is no international, official spelling of the city's name. In English-language publications both "s" and "z" can be found. The Oxford Dictionary of English and Merriam-Webster Dictionary prefer "Cuzco", and in scholarly writings "Cuzco" is used more often than "Cusco". The city's international airport code is CUZ , reflecting the earlier Spanish spelling. The official Flag of Cusco consists of seven horizontal stripes in

2106-1034: Is performed in both Spanish and Quechua, reflecting the city's cultural diversity and historical significance. In 2019, the Municipality of Cusco declared the performance of the anthem in Quechua at civic events to be of public interest and historical importance.   Kingdom of Cusco , 1197–1438 [REDACTED] Inca Empire , 1438–1532 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Spain – Habsburg ( Governorate of New Castile and Viceroyalty of Peru ), 1532–1700 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Spain – Bourbon ( Viceroyalty of Peru ), 1700–1808 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Spain – Bonaparte ( Viceroyalty of Peru ), 1808–1813 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Spain – Bourbon ( Viceroyalty of Peru ), 1813–1821 [REDACTED] Protectorate of Peru , 1821–1822 [REDACTED]   Peru , 1822–1836 [REDACTED] Peru–Bolivian Confederation ( Republic of South Peru ), 1836–1839 [REDACTED]   Peru , 1839–present The Killke people occupied

2187-416: Is related to extractive activities and to food and beverage products, such as beer, carbonated waters, coffee, chocolates, among others. However, the relevant economic activity of its inhabitants is the reception of tourism, with increasingly better infrastructure and services. It is the second city in this country that has and maintains full employment. Tourism has been the backbone to the Cusco economy since

2268-417: Is the coldest month with an average of 9.7 °C (49.5 °F). Summer occurs from October through March, with warm temperatures and abundant rainfall; November is the warmest month, averaging 13.3 °C (55.9 °F). Although frost and hail are common, the last reported snowfall was in June 1911. Temperatures usually range from 0.2 to 20.9 °C (32.4 to 69.6 °F), but the all-time temperature range

2349-417: Is the most diverse branch of Quechua, to the extent that its divisions are commonly considered different languages. Quechua II (Peripheral Quechua, Wamp'una "Traveler") This is a sampling of words in several Quechuan languages: Flag of Cusco The official flag of Cusco has seven horizontal stripes of color: red , orange , yellow , green , sky blue , blue , and violet . This rainbow flag

2430-512: The 2003 Copa Sudamericana and 2004 Recopa Sudamericana . Quechua language Although Quechua began expanding many centuries before the Incas , that previous expansion also meant that it was the primary language family within the Inca Empire. The Spanish also tolerated its use until the Peruvian struggle for independence in the 1780s. As a result, various Quechua languages are still widely spoken today, being co-official in many regions and

2511-544: The Corpus Christi . It is considered one of the most authentic gastronomic expressions of Cusco as it blends both native flavors of the Andes and those brought by the Spanish conquistadors . It is a cold dish that includes various meats ( cuy , boiled chicken , charqui , morcilla (blood sausage), salchicha (sausage)), potatoes , cheese , corn cake, fish roe, and lake algae. A folkloric institution established in 1924. It

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2592-625: The Municipality of Cusco Province took the flag as official; 16 days before the gay pride flag first flew in San Francisco in the United States. It is the second flag of Cuzco. The first flag used earlier consisted of a scarlet background and a coat of arms dating back to Spanish times, given in 1540. Due to its resemblance to the much more recognizable LGBT flag, the Echenique's sun was added to

2673-504: The 1990s, during the mayoral administration of Mayor Daniel Estrada Pérez , the city underwent a new process of beautification through the restoration of monuments and the construction of plazas, fountains and monuments. Likewise, thanks to the efforts of this authority, various recognitions were achieved, such as the declaration as "Historical Capital of Peru" contained in the text of the Political Constitution of Peru of 1993. It

2754-553: The 19th century, the prestige of Quechua had decreased sharply. Gradually its use declined so that it was spoken mostly by indigenous people in the more isolated and conservative rural areas. Nevertheless, in the 21st century, Quechua language speakers number roughly 7 million people across South America, more than any other indigenous language family in the Americas. As a result of Inca expansion into Central Chile , there were bilingual Quechua- Mapudungu Mapuche in Central Chile at

2835-577: The Empire. After the Spanish conquest of Peru in the 16th century, Quechua continued to be used widely by the indigenous peoples as the "common language." It was officially recognized by the Spanish administration, and many Spaniards learned it in order to communicate with local peoples. The clergy of the Catholic Church adopted Quechua to use as the language of evangelization . The oldest written records of

2916-491: The Inca period, it was the main political center of the region from which the Inca Empire was ruled and where the political and religious elite lived. After its Spanish foundation, it lost prominence due to Francisco Pizarro 's decision to establish the capital of the new territories in the city of Lima because it had close access to the sea and communication with the metropolis. However, Cusco continued to be an important city within

2997-612: The Peruvian Aprista Party and Acción Popular, have recorded eventual electoral victories, while those that represent a right-wing political position, such as the Popular Christian Party and Fujimorism itself, have had little presence among the elected authorities. The city had a population of about 348,935 people in 2007 and 428,450 people in 2017 according to INEI . Economic activity in Cuzco includes agriculture, especially maize and native tubers. The local industry

3078-576: The Santa Clara and San Blas neighborhoods. The Spanish destroyed many Inca buildings, temples and palaces. They used the remaining walls as bases for the construction of a new city, and this stone masonry is still visible. Father Vincente de Valverde became the Bishop of Cusco and built his cathedral facing the plaza . He supported construction of the Dominican Order monastery ( Santo Domingo Convent ) on

3159-441: The Spanish pronunciation of 'z' is no longer universally close to the Quechua pronunciation. In 1976, the city mayor signed an ordinance banning the traditional spelling and ordering the use of a new spelling, Cusco , in municipality publications. Nineteen years later, on 23 June 1990, the local authorities formalized a new spelling more closely related to Quechua, Qosqo , but later administrations have not followed suit. There

3240-598: The Sun ;... studded with gold plates ... surrounded by convents and dormitories for the priests. ... The palaces were numerous and the troops lost no time in plundering them of their contents, as well as despoiling the religious edifices," including the royal mummies in the Coricancha . Pizarro ceremoniously gave Manco Inca the Incan fringe as the new Peruvian leader. Pizarro encouraged some of his men to stay and settle in

3321-426: The capital of the newly established small Neo-Inca State . There his state survived another 36 years but he was never able to return to Cuzco. Throughout the conflict and years of the Spanish colonization of the Americas , many Incas died of smallpox epidemics, as they had no acquired immunity to a disease by then endemic among Europeans. Cusco was built on layers of cultures. The Tawantinsuyu (former Inca Empire )

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3402-568: The center of the city preserves many buildings, squares and streets from pre-Columbian times as well as colonial constructions. That is why the city was declared in 1972 as " Cultural Heritage of the Nation " by Supreme Resolution No. 2900-72-ED.In 1983, during the VII session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, it was decided to declare this area as a World Heritage Site by establishing

3483-605: The city after kidnapping and murdering Atahualpa (see Battle of Cuzco ), and gained control. The first three Spaniards arrived in the city in May 1533, after the Battle of Cajamarca , collecting for Atahualpa 's Ransom Room . On 15 November 1533 Francisco Pizarro officially arrived in Cusco. "The capital of the Incas ;... astonished the Spaniards by the beauty of its edifices, the length and regularity of its streets." The great square

3564-458: The city's historical identity. The Coat of arms of Cusco was officially adopted in 1986 and is used by the city, province , and region of Cusco. The coat of arms incorporates elements from both Inca and Spanish heraldry. Historically, the city's arms included a golden castle on a red field with eight condors surrounding it. The modern design, officially adopted in 1986, features the Sol de Echenique ,

3645-514: The city's inhabitants mostly speak Spanish. The Quechua people are the last living descendants of the Inca Empire . Cusco has the following important museums: There are also some museums located at churches, like the Museum and Convent of San Francisco  [ es ] and the Museum of Qoricancha Temple The most common religion in Cusco is Catholicism . As capital to the Inca Empire, Cusco

3726-470: The city, giving out repartimientos , or land grants to do so. Alcaldes were established and regidores on 24 March 1534, which included the brothers Gonzalo Pizarro and Juan Pizarro . Pizarro left a garrison of 90 men and departed for Jauja with Manco Inca. Pizarro renamed it as the "very noble and great city of Cuzco". Buildings often constructed after the Spanish invasion have a mixture of Spanish influence and Inca indigenous architecture , including

3807-402: The colors red, orange, yellow, green, sky blue, blue, and violet, representing the rainbow. This flag was introduced in 1973 by Raúl Montesinos Espejo in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his Tawantinsuyo Radio station. Its popularity led to its official adoption by the Municipality of Cusco in 1978. Since 2021, the flag has also included the golden "Sol de Echenique," a symbol associated with

3888-637: The countries are having their children study in Spanish for social advancement. Radio Nacional del Perú broadcasts news and agrarian programs in Quechua for periods in the mornings. Quechua and Spanish are now heavily intermixed in much of the Andean region, with many hundreds of Spanish loanwords in Quechua. Similarly, Quechua phrases and words are commonly used by Spanish speakers. In southern rural Bolivia, for instance, many Quechua words such as wawa (infant), misi (cat), waska (strap or thrashing), are as commonly used as their Spanish counterparts, even in entirely Spanish-speaking areas. Quechua has also had

3969-460: The dialects is the basic criterion that defines Quechua not as a single language, but as a language family. The complex and progressive nature of how speech varies across the dialect continua makes it nearly impossible to differentiate discrete varieties; Ethnologue lists 45 varieties which are then divided into two groups; Central and Peripheral. Due to the non-intelligibility between the two groups, they are all classified as separate languages. As

4050-469: The early 2000s, bringing in more than 1.2 million tourists per year. In 2019, Cusco was the region that reached the highest number of tourists in Peru with more than 2.7 million tourists. In 2002, the income Cusco received from tourism was US$ 837 million. In 2009, that number increased to US$ 2.47 billion. Most tourists visiting the city are there to tour the city and the Incan Ruins, especially

4131-535: The earthquake, but the granite retaining walls of the Qurikancha were exposed, as well as those of other ancient structures throughout the city. Restoration work at the Santo Domingo complex exposed the Inca masonry formerly obscured by the superstructure without compromising the integrity of the colonial heritage. Many of the buildings damaged in 1950 had been impacted by an earthquake only nine years previously. In

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4212-642: The eastern end of the Knot of Cusco, its elevation is around 3,400 m (11,200 ft). To its north is the Vilcabamba mountain range with 4,000–6,000-meter-high (13,000–20,000-foot) mountains. The highest peak is Salcantay (6,271 meters or 20,574 feet) about 60 kilometers (37 miles) northwest of Cusco. Cusco has a subtropical highland climate ( Köppen Cwb ). It is generally dry and temperate, with two defined seasons. Winter occurs from April through September, with abundant sunshine and occasional nighttime freezes; July

4293-461: The empire in order to own land for his family to keep after his death. According to Inca legend, the city was rebuilt by Sapa Inca Pachacuti , the man who transformed the Kingdom of Cusco from a sleepy city-state into the vast empire of Tawantinsuyu . Archeological evidence, however, points to a slower, more organic growth of the city beginning before Pachacuti. The city was constructed according to

4374-500: The first country to recognize Quechua as one of its official languages. Ecuador conferred official status on the language in its 2006 constitution, and in 2009, Bolivia adopted a new constitution that recognized Quechua and several other indigenous languages as official languages of the country. The major obstacle to the usage and teaching of Quechua languages is the lack of written materials, such as books, newspapers, software, and magazines. The Bible has been translated into Quechua and

4455-507: The first thesis defense done in Quechua in Europe was done by Peruvian Carmen Escalante Gutiérrez at Pablo de Olavide University ( Sevilla ). The same year Pablo Landeo wrote the first novel in Quechua without a Spanish translation. A Peruvian student, Roxana Quispe Collantes of the University of San Marcos , completed and defended the first thesis in the language group in 2019; it concerned

4536-490: The heavens so high that they could not see him. He returned and told Ayar Manco that from then on he was to be named Manco Capac . Ayar Oche came from where the Sun was and the Sun had ordered that Ayar Manco take that name and go to the town that they had seen. After this had been stated by the idol, Ayar Oche turned into a stone, just as he was, with his wings. Later Manco Capac went down with Ayar Auca to their settlement...he liked

4617-622: The language are by missionary Domingo de Santo Tomás , who arrived in Peru in 1538 and learned the language from 1540. He published his Grammatica o arte de la lengua general de los indios de los reynos del Perú (Grammar or Art of the General Language of the Indians of the Kingdoms of Peru) in 1560. Given its use by the Catholic missionaries, the range of Quechua continued to expand in some areas. In

4698-533: The late 18th century, colonial officials ended the administrative and religious use of Quechua. They banned it from public use in Peru after the Túpac Amaru II rebellion of indigenous peoples. The Crown banned "loyal" pro-Catholic texts in Quechua, such as Garcilaso de la Vega's Comentarios Reales . Despite a brief revival of the language immediately after the Latin American nations achieved independence in

4779-509: The local name, transcribing it according to Spanish phonetics as Cuzco or, less often, Cozco . Cuzco was the standard spelling on official documents and chronicles in colonial times, though Cusco was also used. Cuzco , pronounced as in 16th-century Spanish, seems to have been a close approximation to the Cusco Quechua pronunciation of the name at the time. As both Spanish and Quechua pronunciation have evolved since then,

4860-458: The most spoken language lineage in Peru , after Spanish. The Quechua linguistic homeland may have been Central Peru. It has been speculated that it may have been used in the Chavín and Wari civilizations. Quechua had already expanded across wide ranges of the central Andes long before the expansion of the Inca Empire . The Inca were one among many peoples in present-day Peru who already spoke

4941-447: The place now occupied in this city Cuzco. Manco Capac and his companion, with the help of the four women, made a house. Having done this, Manco Capac and his companion, with the four women, planted some land with maize. It is said that they took the maize from the cave, which this lord Manco Capac named Pacaritambo , which means those of origin because...they came out of that cave. The Spanish conquistadors (Spanish soldiers) adopted

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5022-585: The region from 900 to 1200 CE, prior to the arrival of the Inca in the 13th century. Carbon-14 dating of Saksaywaman , the walled complex outside Cusco, established that Killke constructed the fortress about 1100 CE. The Inca later expanded and occupied the complex in the 13th century. In March 2008, archeologists discovered the ruins of an ancient temple, roadway and aqueduct system at Saksaywaman. The temple covers some 2,700 square feet (250 square meters) and contains 11 rooms thought to have held idols and mummies, establishing its religious purpose. Together with

5103-424: The republic, Cusco's political role languished due to its isolation from the capital, coastline, and trade routes of the 19th and 20th centuries. However, it maintained its status as the main city in southern Peru, although subordinated to the importance that Arequipa was gaining, better connected with the rest of the country. Cusco has always remained the capital of the department of Cusco Politically, according to

5184-675: The results of elections held in the second half of the 20th century, Cusco has been a stronghold of leftist parties in Peru. In the 1970s and 1980s, the socialist leader Daniel Estrada Pérez brought together this political tendency under the banner of the United Left alliance. Since his death, Cusco has been a major city for parties such as the Peruvian Nationalist Party and the Broad Front for Justice, Life and Liberty, as well as regional movements. Traditional Peruvian parties, such as

5265-402: The results of excavations in 2007, when another temple was found at the edge of the fortress, this indicates a longtime religious as well as military use of the facility. Cusco was long an important center of indigenous people. It was the capital of the Inca Empire (13th century – 1532). Many believe that the city was planned as an effigy in the shape of a puma , a sacred animal. How Cusco

5346-434: The ruins of the Corichanca, House of the Sun, and a convent at the former site of the House of the Virgins of the Sun. During the Siege of Cuzco of 1536 by Manco Inca Yupanqui , a leader of the Sapa Inca , he took control of the city from the Spanish. Although the siege lasted 10 months, it was ultimately unsuccessful. Manco's forces were able to reclaim the city for only a few days. He eventually retreated to Vilcabamba ,

5427-577: The scene in the early 20th century. The modern flag was created in the early 1970s on the initiative of a local radio station Radio Rural . In 1973, on the occasion of the station's twenty-fifth anniversary, Raúla Montesinos Espejo proposed the rainbow flag, presenting it as belonging to the Incas. Unfortunately, Montesinos never submitted a study that proves the design's authenticity, and it was accepted de facto without further evidence. The flag has since grown in popularity, but people mistakenly associate it with Tahuantinsuyo . Five years later, on June 9, 1978,

5508-431: The site of the future city; there he was transformed into a rock to mark the possession of the land by his ayllu ("lineage"): Then Ayar Oche stood up, displayed a pair of large wings, and said he should be the one to stay at Guanacaure as an idol in order to speak with their father the Sun. Then they went up on top of the hill. Now at the site where he was to remain as an idol, Ayar Oche raised up in flight toward

5589-433: The time of the Spanish arrival . It has been argued that Mapuche, Quechua, and Spanish coexisted in Central Chile , with significant bilingualism, during the 17th century. Alongside Mapudungun, Quechua is the indigenous language that has influenced Chilean Spanish the most. Quechua-Aymara and mixed Quechua-Aymara- Mapudungu toponymy can be found as far south as Osorno Province in Chile (latitude 41° S). In 2017

5670-477: The top destination, Machu Picchu , which is one of the New Seven Modern Wonders of the World. In order to keep up with tourist demand, the city is constructing a new airport in Chinchero known as Chinchero International Airport . Its main purpose is for tourists to bypass lay overs through Lima and connect the city to Europe and North America. It will replace the old airport, Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport . Due to its antiquity and significance,

5751-410: The viceregal political scheme to the point of being the first city in the entire Viceroyalty to have a bishop. Its participation in the trade routes during the viceroyalty guaranteed its political importance as it remained the capital of the corregimiento established in these territories and, later, of the Intendancy of Cusco and, towards the end of the viceroyalty, of the Royal Audience of Cusco. During

5832-571: The works of poet Andrés Alencastre Gutiérrez and it was also the first non-Spanish native language thesis done at that university. Currently, there are different initiatives that promote Quechua in the Andes and across the world: many universities offer Quechua classes, a community-based organization such as Elva Ambía 's Quechua Collective of New York promote the language, and governments are training interpreters in Quechua to serve in healthcare, justice, and bureaucratic facilities. In 1975, Peru became

5913-685: The world and others. The Constitution of Peru (1993) designates the city as the Historical Capital of Peru. The indigenous name of this city is Qusqu . Although the name was used in Southern Quechua , its origin is found in the Aymara language . The word is derived from the phrase qusqu wanka ('rock of the owl'), related to the city's foundation myth of the Ayar siblings. According to this legend, Ayar Awqa ( Ayar Auca ) acquired wings and flew to

5994-434: Was also decided to change the coat of arms of Cusco, leaving aside the colonial coat of arms and adopting the " Sol de Echenique " as the new coat of arms. Additionally, the change of the official name of the city was proposed to adopt the Quechua word Qosqo , but this change was reversed a few years later. Currently, Cusco is the most important tourist destination in Peru. Under the administration of mayor Daniel Estrada Pérez,

6075-405: Was an important agricultural region. It was a natural reserve for thousands of native Peruvian species, including around 3,000 varieties of potato cultivated by the people. Fusion and neo-Andean restaurants developed in Cusco, in which the cuisine is prepared with modern techniques and incorporates a blend of traditional Andean and international ingredients. Cuy (guinea pig), a native animal in Cusco,

6156-484: Was built on Killke structures. The Spanish replaced indigenous temples with Catholic churches, and Inca palaces with mansions for the invaders. Cusco was the center for the Spanish colonization and spread of Christianity in the Andean world. It became very prosperous thanks to agriculture, cattle raising and mining, as well as its trade with Spain . The Spanish colonists constructed many churches and convents , as well as

6237-467: Was introduced to Peru in 1973 by Raúl Montesinos Espejo, in recognition of the 25th anniversary of his Tawantinsuyo Radio station. As the flag's popularity grew, Cusco mayor Gilberto Muñiz Caparó declared it an official emblem in 1978. Since 2021, the official flag has also featured the golden Sol de Echenique . In addition to being the city flag and a co-official flag of the Department of Cuzco ,

6318-585: Was maintained as the prestige dialect in the north. Speakers from different points within any of the three regions can generally understand one another reasonably well. There are nonetheless significant local-level differences across each. ( Wanka Quechua , in particular, has several very distinctive characteristics that make the variety more challenging to understand, even for other Central Quechua speakers.) Speakers from different major regions, particularly Central or Southern Quechua, are not able to communicate effectively. The lack of mutual intelligibility among

6399-407: Was required to build a house in the city and live part of the year in Cusco, restricted to the quarter that corresponded to the quarter in which he held territory. After the rule of Pachacuti , when an Inca died, his title went to one son and his property was given to a corporation controlled by his other relatives ( split inheritance ). Each title holder had to build a new house and add new lands to

6480-403: Was specifically built, or how its large stones were quarried and transported to the site remain undetermined. Under the Inca, the city had two sectors: the hurin and hanan . Each was divided to encompass two of the four provinces, Chinchasuyu (NW), Antisuyu (NE), Kuntisuyu (SW) and Qullasuyu (SE). A road led from each quarter to the corresponding quarter of the empire. Each local leader

6561-459: Was surrounded by several palaces, since "each sovereign built a new palace for himself." "The delicacy of the stone work excelled" that of the Spaniards'. The fortress had three parapets and was composed of "heavy masses of rock". "Through the heart of the capital ran a river ... faced with stone. ... The most sumptuous edifice in Cuzco ;... was undoubtedly the great temple dedicated to

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