Cuzco (Cusco), the Empire Inca
Capital, is located at 11,200 ft. above sea level in the Andes
Mountains in Southern Peru. According to Inca legend, the city
was founded in the 12th century by the first Inca named Manco
Capac, who was said to be the son of the sun. Archeologists
believe the city was originally settled earlier by the Wari
people, perhaps as long ago as the 8th century.
Cuzco was developed, under the Inca Pachacutec, into a complex
urban centre with distinct religious and administrative
functions. It was surrounded by clearly delineated areas for
agricultural, artisan and industrial production. When the
Spaniards conquered it in the 16th century, they preserved the
basic structure but built Baroque churches and palaces over the
ruins of the Inca city.
The Incas' engineering medium was
stone. They didn't need to use mortar to hold the walls in
place. Instead, they used precise geometry to cut the stones and
create tight joints.