Cusco, Peru is one of the oldest cities in the Americas, founded centuries before even the Inca Empire, who would make it their capital and, briefly, into perhaps the most important city in South America. And like all great cities, Cusco needed a central gathering place, so the Inca drained a swamp and began surrounding it with temples and palaces for important figures in Incan society. Named either Aucaypata or Huacaypata, it became a place for religious ceremonies, and where military victories were celebrated.

In 1538, the Inca Empire and Cusco fell to the Spanish, as conquistadors made their way across the continent. In true Spanish colonial fashion, they occupied the palaces and temples around the square and slowly rebuilt them into churches, viceroyal mansions and other Western structures. Most prominent of these is the Cusco Cathedral, which was completed in 1664 following 95 years of construction.

Today, the Plaza de Armas sits at the centre of Cusco, forming the heart of what is now the tourist district in the ancient city. While there are traces of Incan art and architecture, the overall design of the modern square is a familiar one in Spanish colonial cities, with a green central plaza, churches occupying important places around the perimeter, and arched shopping arcades providing shade.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this brief tour of Cusco’s central square. Have a great day!