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PISAQ
This
picturesque town with a blend of mestizo and colonial
architecture belong to the province of Calca at
the entrance to the Sacred Valley of the Incas,
32Km down a modern highway from the city of Cusco.
Founded during
the reign of Viceroy Francisco de Toledo, the town
has both Western and native features that make it
an original and typical town of the region
PISAQ
ARTS AND CHAFTS MARKET.- Here merchants offer
for sale all sorts of handicrafts, the most important
of which are the textiles and ceramic goods such
as ceremonial goblets called "Q'eros",
plates, ashtrays, necklace and replicas of pre-Hispanic
pottery. There are also ponchos, sweaters and bag
The handicrafts fairs are held every Thursday and
Sunday in the main square o Pisaq, as well as the
Indian market, which is visited by inhabitants from
the various native communities to stock up on supplies
or sell their products. 0 Sundays, there is also
the traditional Mass held in Quechua, which is attended
by the Varayoc or village leaders from the surrounding
communities.
PISAQ ARCHAEOLOGICAL
COMPLEX.- In the upper part there are the remains
of this re-Columbian settlement located a few kilometers
from the mestizo town. It takes up an entire mountain
made up of different neighborhood or squares, the main
one being Intiwatana, which is admired for the architectural
skill with which its constructions were built. At the
same time, the pre-Hispani cemetery is also of great
interest as it is the largest found in this part of
the continent. There are thousands of tombs, some of
them looted. The complex is also famous for the colossal
terraces that circle the mountains and the fabulous
watchtowers which were used as observation points as
well as for control and military defense.
CALCA
This area has
a beautiful landscape, surrounded by the Pitusiray and
Sawasiray snow-capped mountains. The archaeological
complex of Huchuy Qosqo is located in this province,
as well as the medicinal hot mineral baths of Machacancha
(sulfurous hot water) and Minasmoqo (cold bubbling mineral
water)
It is located 50 km from
Cusco.
YUCAY
A historic area,
Yucay is a pretty valley inhabited by the Runas of the
Tahuantinsuyo who built impressive works of agricultural
engineering. This area is important for the palace of
the Inca Sairy Tupac 11, a construction made of stone
and adobe mud brick with haute- and bas-relief decorations.
It was a center of agricultural production for the Incas
because of its mild climate, fertile land, abundant
water and vegetation, especially fruit trees.
URUBAMBA
Located 78km
from Cusco via Pisaq and 57km via Chinchero, it is
located in the heart of the Sacred Valley and is
known as the "Pearl of the Vilcanota" with
beautiful countrysides and a healthy climate, located
at the foot of the majestic snow-capped peak Chicón.
Urubamba, the archaeological
capital of Peru, has many possibilities for tourist
activities, especially adventure tourism because of
its natural beauty. In the rain season there is an abundance
of seasonal fruit. The area was also a pre-Hispanic
agricultural center.
OLLANTAYTAMBO
This archaeological
complex was a gigantic agricultural, administrative,
social, religious and military center in the era
of the Tahuantinsuyo. The Spaniards called it the
Fortress of Ollantaytambo. It is located 97km from
Cusco down a modem highway.
Once can see the architectural
style of its streets and squares which are distinctly
pre-Hispanic, with enormous polyhedrons forming the
walls and trapezoidal doors of temples and palaces.
The urban distribution was set along rectilinear and
narrow streets which have been inhabited constantly
by natives since the Incas' time.
In the upper and western
part of the city rises a mountain which houses innumerable
pre-Hispanic constructions such as magnificent crafted
temples and terraces. A striking construction is the
partially destroyed main temple, where once can see
the front stone carving made up of six perfectly built
red monoliths. It also has stepped molds, a characteristic
made by the Earth. This made academics to consider Ollantaytambo
a living museum.
TO MACHUPICCHU.- The town
of Ollantaytambo is located in the far western part
of the Urubamba Valley, in a place where the asphalt
highway connects with the circuit called the Sacred
Valley of the Incas and the railway that leaves Cusco
bound for Machupicchu.
The train service covering
the Cusco-Machupicchu route allows tourists to visit
the area, board the train in Ollantaytambo and within
two hours arrive in Puente Ruinas, from where buses
leave for the Machupicchu citadel.
This possibility of boarding
the train at Ollantaytambo can be done early in the
morning or in the evenings from Monday to Saturday or
Sunday mornings only. On the other hand, one can also
get off at Ollantaytambo on the way back to Cusco from
Machupicchu, and begin to explore the Sacred Valley
of the Incas from there.
CHINCHERO
A former
Inca agricultural center, this district of the province
of Urubamba i made up of 10 "Ayllus" or
indigenous communities. Located at 3,762 mete above
sea level, Chinchero is 28 km down a modem highway
from the Cusco tourist circuit. It possesses a beautiful
Andean landscape and is surrounded by the year-round
snow-capped peaks of Chicón, Wequey Willca (commonly
Calle Puna Sillo or Veronica).
The current town of Chinchero is a blend of Andean
and Hispanic architec and is also home to a unique
archaeological complex, with the remains o buildings,
places of worship, and terraces for crops and for
foundations.
It boast a beautiful colonial
church with paintings by famous indigenous artist Chiwantito
There is also a typical Sunday market, colorful and
authentic where indigenous peasants from different communities
congregate to trade their goods, not only in money but
also trading by barter. It is well-known for its woven
handcraft of the region.
GASTRONOMY
There is a variety
of delicious gastronomic specialties. Those that stand
out are corn-based dishes such as corn-on-the-cob with
fresh cheese, corn cream, tamale pastries and corncake,
as well as fried trout, pork fritters and stuffed chili
peppers called "Rocoto". There are also typical
drinks such as chicha de jora (maize beer), white chicha
and from November to March, a fruit drink based on wild
strawberries.
HUNTING
AND FISHING
River fishing can
be done from April to October and small scale hunting
in the surrounding of the valley.
FLORA
AND FAUNA
The valley is mainly
agricultural, where the finest corn in Peru is produced,
one that is highly nutritious and of excellent quality.
The area also produces varieties of potatoes, cereals,
greens and fruits like apples, peaches, plums and strawberries
as well as a variety of decorative plants. The fauna
includes a great variety of animals such as deer, the
vizcacha rodent similar to a rabbit, minks, skunks,
foxes and pumas. There are also birds like doves, thrushes,
goldfinches and hummingbirds. The Vilcanota or Urubarnba
River is rich in salmon trout and rainbow fish. It also
has plenty of cattle, sheep, pigs and horses.
EXCURSIONS
AND TRANSPORT
There are several
travel agencies in Cusco which organize excursions and
trips to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and if only
transport is needed, it is recommended to take the tourist
services.
This beautiful and
suggestive valley between the towns of Pisaq and Ollantaytambo
was greatly admired by Peruvians' ancestors due to its
special conditions such as its beneficial climate, its
fertile lands and the presence of the Wilcamayu or Sacred
River.
Andean Man, with
the incentive provided by the qualities granted by Mother
earth, built architectural constructions related to
agriculture, which was the ancient Peruvian's main activity.
In this area, the
Incas found the perfect place to leave proof of their
intrinsic knowledge of hydraulic engineering and their
deep love of nature. This is why today still stand aqueducts,
irrigation canals, the damming of the Wilcamayu River,
imposing sets of terracing and centers of worship of
Mother earth or Pachamama. This is the area called the
Sacred Valley of the Incas.
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