CUSCO: STONE STREETS AND ANDEAN CULTURE IN THE OLD CAPITAL OF THE INCAS

Cusco, the historic city of Peru, became one of the places that impressed us the most in South America. As the old capital of the Inca Empire, this city offers an unforgettable experience not only with its historic buildings, but also with its stone streets, Andean culture, indigenous life and powerful atmosphere.

Cusco, which we reached after leaving the city of Copacabana in Bolivia and crossing Peru’s Andean roads, left us with the feeling that it was not just a travel route, but a city where history is still alive.

For the other routes from our South America journey, you can visit our Dos Corazones Sobre Rueda Turkish home page.

The Andean Journey from Copacabana to Cusco

When we left the city of Copacabana in Bolivia, the calmness of Lake Titicaca was still with us. During the journey we started early in the morning, the landscape slowly began to change as we moved toward the Peruvian border.

Along the way, we passed through small Andean villages, stone houses, high-altitude plains and mountain roads. In some places, women wearing traditional clothes could be seen walking by the roadside, and in some towns small markets were set up. During this road trip, we felt that Peru’s Andean culture was not only something found in city centers, but a living reality along the road.

As the altitude increased, the air became harsher and the clouds entered more deeply between the mountains. Especially as we approached Cusco, the journey stopped feeling like an ordinary road to a city and began to feel like we were moving into history.

Why Is Cusco So Special?

The most important thing that makes Cusco special is that it was once the capital of the Inca Empire. The center of the Inca civilization, one of the greatest civilizations of South America, was located here.

You truly feel this while walking around the city. Because in Cusco, history continues to live not only in old buildings, but also in stone streets, squares and people’s daily lives.

One of the most striking things we learned was that after the Spanish captured Cusco, they destroyed many Inca structures and used their stones to build churches and government buildings. The large colonial buildings in the city center are among the most important examples of this.

Today, the large and perfectly fitted Inca stones visible at the lower parts of some buildings stand side by side with Spanish architecture above them. This image is actually like two different civilizations merging in the same city.

Maybe this is exactly what makes Cusco so impressive. History here has not completely disappeared; it has transformed, but it has continued to live.

Colonial architecture and Andean sky in the historic center of Cusco — The colonial face of Cusco and the Andean sky.

Memorial plaque in Cusco about Andean resistance and Inca memory — A memorial plaque in Cusco reminding us that the past is still alive.

For more information about us and our South America journey, you can read our About Us page.

Plaza de Armas: The Heart of Cusco

When we arrived at Plaza de Armas in the center of Cusco, the first thing we felt was that this was a living square. People sitting on the steps, tourists, vendors, pigeons and the movement in the middle of the square seemed to gather all the energy of the city here.

The dark clouds in the sky and the large stone buildings in the background made the atmosphere of the square even more impressive. On one side, church bells could be heard; on the other, the voices of street vendors were rising.

According to our observation, Plaza de Armas is not just a tourist spot; it is truly the living center of Cusco. Even after sitting here for a few minutes, you begin to feel the rhythm of the city.

Cusco Plaza de Armas and historic cathedral view — Plaza de Armas, the living heart of Cusco.

Fountain and historic surroundings in Cusco Plaza de Armas — The fountain, benches and daily city life in the square.

Cusco Cathedral and the Story of the Inca Stones

One of the most striking buildings in Plaza de Armas was undoubtedly Cusco Cathedral. With its large stone doors, towers and dark façade, it has a very majestic appearance.

But what makes this building truly interesting is not only its architecture, but also the history it carries.

As far as we learned, stones removed from Inca structures were used in the construction of the cathedral. In other words, this large colonial building we see today was actually built on the stones of the old Inca civilization.

After learning this, we began to look at the building differently. Because you no longer see only a church. You also see the traces of a lost civilization.

While sitting on the steps in front of the cathedral, it was very impressive to think that the stones carved by Inca stonemasons hundreds of years ago are still here today.

Stone façade of Cusco Cathedral and Plaza de Armas — The majestic stone façade of Cusco Cathedral.

Historic church and Andes mountain view in Cusco — The Andes rising behind the stone buildings.

Stone Streets, Blue Balconies and the Atmosphere of Cusco

One of the things that impressed us the most in Cusco was walking through the stone streets. Narrow roads, old houses with white walls, blue wooden balconies and streets that constantly climb upward give the city a very strong character.

While walking through some streets, we felt as if we were inside a movie scene. You turn a corner and an old church appears; a few minutes later, a mountain view opens up.

Because of the high altitude, even short walks can sometimes become tiring. But the atmosphere of Cusco constantly pushes you to walk and discover new streets.

Especially the areas with stone roads and blue balconies became some of our favorite places.

Stone streets and local life in the historic center of Cusco — Daily life on the stone streets of Cusco.

Historic street with blue balconies and stone road in Cusco — Blue balconies give Cusco’s streets a special character.

Stone-paved pedestrian path in the historic center of Cusco — Stone roads, shadows and the rhythm of an Andean city.

Arco de Santa Clara: The Historic Gate of the City

One of the structures that impressed us the most in Cusco was Arco de Santa Clara. When you look through the large stone arch, old streets, church towers and the Andes Mountains come together in the same frame.

We stood there for a while and simply watched the people. The idea that people have passed through the same point for centuries creates a very impressive feeling.

One of Cusco’s strongest qualities is that it does not hide its past. The city shows its history everywhere.

Historic stone gate of Arco de Santa Clara in Cusco — Arco de Santa Clara, one of the historic gates of Cusco.

Cusco streets seen through the Arco de Santa Clara arch — Cusco streets seen through the arch.

Travel photo in front of Arco de Santa Clara in Cusco — A stone gate opening from the past to the present.

Local Life and Peru’s Andean Culture

Cusco is not made only of historic buildings. The real spirit of the city is also hidden in daily life.

The different colored corns we saw in the markets especially caught our attention. In Peru, corn does not seem to be just food; it appears to be an important part of the culture.

The large corns in purple, white and yellow tones were quite different both in appearance and taste. The large white Peruvian corn especially interested us.

People walking through the streets in traditional clothing, small shops and local markets make you feel that Cusco is still a living Andean city.

Colorful Peruvian corn in a Cusco market — The colorful Peruvian corns we saw in Cusco markets.

Large white Peruvian corn being cooked in a pot — Peru’s large white corns are sold hot in the market.

Large white Peruvian corn held in hand in Cusco — The large-grained white Peruvian corn we tasted in Cusco.

Protests and Cusco’s Living Identity

While walking around the city, we also came across protests by indigenous people. Wiphala flags, traditional clothing, banners and people waiting in front of the police were quite striking at first.

But after watching for a while, you understand that this is part of Cusco’s real identity.

Here, the Inca past is not just a tourist detail. Indigenous culture, history and the struggle for identity still continue to live within daily life.

Maybe this is exactly what makes Cusco so impressive. Because this city does not only tell the past; it continues to live it.

Indigenous protest and traditional Andean clothing in Cusco — Indigenous people joining the protest in traditional clothing.

Indigenous protest with Wiphala flags in Cusco — Wiphala flags show Cusco’s living indigenous identity.

Indigenous protest in front of Palacio de Justicia in Cusco — The political and social face of Cusco in front of Palacio de Justicia.

Leaving Cusco

When we left Cusco, what stayed in our minds was not only the historic buildings. The atmosphere we felt while walking through the stone streets, the harsh air of the high altitude, the people in the square and the fact that Andean culture is still so strong in the city were what impressed us the most.

Some cities are only visited.

Others are felt.

For us, Cusco definitely became one of the places in the second group.

For our other travel articles from South America, you can visit our Turkish blog page.

For more historical information about Cusco, you can visit the Cusco – Turkish Wikipedia page.