Pachaqutec, Alexander the great of Inca

Today, June 6th, 2019, I spent the whole day to discover Cuzco and learnt more about Inca civilization. And I came across Pachaqutec, Alexander the great of Inca civilization, at his great monument in the city.

I saw his monument immensely when I came from the airport a couple days ago, also wondered who was this guy. He made Cuzco as the capital of Inca and under his regime also the Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu, and others sites were built. On top of his monument, basically under his feet, there is a terrace to view the city and the Andean/ Andes mountain range around the city. As Cuzco is located in the valley.

That day some roads were blocked and many police around due to the strike of the workers. There was advantages and disadvantages, on the big roads that usually are full of cars and not easy to cross now it was very easy and safe to cross. But at the other side there were many people in the main square, for example which made me a bit nervous after losing my phone in Lima.

In spite of that, I’m continuing my journey to next museum, Qorikanca museum. Qorikanca is actually the other name of Santo Domingo convent. In that museum there are potteries, stories about Inca life, especially the farming life with more than 500 different types of potatoes, the jewelry, weapons, but also the mummies. Mummies from ordinary people who died and found on top of the mountain. They are all mummified in fetus position, as they are ordinary people, they were placed on top of the mountain to be closed to their God but they would go to underworld, because only the kings and queens’ families can go to the above world. The museum exit is on the grass field under Santo Domingo church.

Enough about Inca culture, then I continued to visit art museums for contemporary and popular art of Peru. I must say Peruvians are very artistic and creative. I also passed different squares, plaza de armas, plaza de san Francisco, plaza de espinaza, etc. and everywhere churches. Very photogenic also but I was very careful. Then I had a break at my favorite bubble tea café from Jessica, coca tea bubble tea and orange cake.

In the afternoon, I had a city tour with local guide. First we visited Santo Domingo church or Qorikanca (temple of the sun or golden temple), in this place it was the temple areas of Inca and conquistadors (the Spanish people) rebuilt it to a church. There are 3 temples that are reconstructed there, one of them is sort of stars observatories, where at that time they already discovered the milky ways by having imagination figures of puma, baby lama, lama and snake.

The church itself is a Baroque style church which is also a mix church of Catholicism and inca believes and tradition. The mixed were tolerated in order to get more Inca people becoming Catholic. The wall around the temple was covered by gold which was all taken by the conquistadors.

From the church, we went back to Inca time again by visiting the fortress Saqsaywaman. This fortress was part of the head of Puma which body was Cuzco city, as Pachacuteq wanted it. The fortress was made with giant stones from a quarry that was 4 km away from there. How they transported that giant stones, it’s not known yet. The reasons why the giant stones were used to make an big impression of the greatness of Pachacuteq as the son of the God of the sun. The fortress was also built a but zigzag to form the Puma head and also as defense system against the enemy.

Then we went to Quenqo site which was believed the agricultural rituals were performed, surround by the mountain. While the next destination, Puka Pukara was the ceremonial place to mummified the kings and queens, animal sacrifice was also taken place here.

The last stop was Basilica cathedral, it is a very good example of mixed culture church. All the wood in this church is sandal wood, many chapels with naked pregnant women as fertility symbol for the Incas, many mirrors and the dress of the statues have Inca’s pattern. There are still many things to see here in Cuzco but those are the highlight of the city. One day I’ll come again to do the rest and maybe 3-4 days Inca trail with my friend from Cuzco, Jessica...

In the late afternoon, plaza de Armas were full of dance group of children, practising dance... so cute to see!