CUSCO

According to Andean mythology, Cusco was founded in the 12th century by Manco Capac, the first Inca and son of the Sun god. As the Inca Empire grew to include from current Ecuador all the way south to Chile and the north of Argentina, Cusco gained importance as its capital city. Considered by the Incas to be “the navel of the world”, Cusco is today a magical blend of its Inca and colonial past. One of the most noticeable characteristics of this is that the conquerors built their palaces and temples on top of Inca sacred constructions, as a way to neutralize their religious beliefs, impose Catholicism and subjugate Andean natives to Spanish authority.