City of Cuzco (UNESCO/NHK)

UNESCO

3 Jun 201002:44

Summary

TLDRThe historic city of Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire, is nestled in the Andes Mountains of Peru at an altitude of 3,400 meters. It features the Baroque Cathedral, a central gathering point, and the Puma-shaped city layout. The Inca people revered nature, with guardian gods like condors, pumas, and snakes. Despite the Spanish conquest that razed Incan palaces and temples, remnants of the empire remain, including stone walls and the Santo Domingo Convent, built atop a former sun temple. The city's sacred hill, Saqsaywaman, and its water channels from the Inca period add to the mystique of this ancient civilization.

Takeaways

🗻 The historic city of Cusco is located in Peru, high in the Andes Mountains at 3,400 meters above sea level.
🏰 Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire before the Spanish Conquest in the early 16th century.
🏰 The Spanish destroyed Incan palaces and temples, significantly altering the city's landscape.
⛪ The Plaza de Armas, with the Baroque cathedral, is a central gathering point in Cusco.
🌟 The Inca people worshiped nature, with Condors, Pumas, and snakes as Guardian Gods.
🏰 The city is believed to be shaped like a Puma, with distinct parts representing the head, heart, and other organs.
🏰 Remnants of the Inca Empire, including stone walls, still stand in Cusco.
🌞 Santo Domingo Convent was built on the site of a temple dedicated to the sun, which was the most sacred site during the Inca period.
🏰 The Spaniards removed gold decorations but left the stone structure of the temple, building a church on top.
💧 A courtyard dating back to Colonial times is supplied with water from an Inca-era channel.
🏞️ The sacred Hill of Saqsaywaman, believed to have a religious purpose, is part of the Puma-shaped city and was a strategic defense point during the Inca resistance against the Spanish.

Q & A

In which country is the historic city of Cusco located?
-The historic city of Cusco is located in Peru.
At what elevation is Cusco situated?
-Cusco is situated 3,400 meters above sea level.
What significant historical role did Cusco play before the Spanish Conquest?
-Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire before the Spanish Conquest.
Which structure in the main square is mentioned as a gathering point?
-The Barack Cathedral in the main square is mentioned as one of the main gathering points.
What did the Spaniards do to the Incan palaces and temples when they invaded Cusco?
-The Spaniards destroyed all Incan palaces and temples when they invaded Cusco in the early 16th century.
What did the Inca people worship, according to the script?
-The Inca people worshiped nature, and animals like Condors, Pumas, and snakes which were considered Guardian Gods.
What is the significance of the Puma shape in relation to the city of Cusco?
-The city of Cusco has a Puma shape, with this part being the Head and the Heart being the central area.
What remnants of the Inca Empire have been found in Cusco?
-Remnants of the Inca Empire in Cusco include stone walls that still stand and were part of their sacred sites.
What was the original purpose of the site where Santo Domingo Convent now stands?
-The site where Santo Domingo Convent now stands used to be a Temple dedicated to the Sun during the Inca period.
How did the Spaniards alter the Temple of the Sun?
-The Spaniards took the golden statues of the Sun and removed the Golden Leaf from the walls of the Temple of the Sun, leaving the stone structure and building the church on top.
What is the significance of the site known as Saqsaywaman?
-Saqsaywaman, known as the sacred hill, is believed to have had a religious purpose and was also a strategic defense point for the Inca Army during the war against the Spaniards.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 Historical Overview of Cusco and Inca Empire

The script introduces Cusco, a historic city in Peru, once the capital of the Inca Empire and now situated at an altitude of 3,400 meters in the Andes Mountains. It discusses the city's rich history, including the Spanish Conquest in the early 16th century, which led to the destruction of Incan palaces and temples. The script also mentions the Baroque cathedral in the main square, which is a significant gathering point. It highlights the Inca people's worship of nature and animals like condors, pumas, and snakes, which were considered guardian gods. The city's Puma-shaped layout is described, with the head and heart areas being of particular importance. Remnants of the Inca Empire, such as stone walls, are still standing, and the script describes the Santo Domingo Convent, which was built on the site of a former temple dedicated to the sun, a sacred site during the Inca period. The walls were once decorated with gold, representing sunshine, but the Spanish removed the gold, leaving the stone structure to build the church on top. The courtyard is from Colonial times, but it features water channels from the Inca period. The script also mentions the sacred Hill of Saaka, believed to have had a religious purpose, and the historical significance of the site during the Inca's war against the Spanish.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cusco

Cusco is a historic city in Peru, renowned for being the capital of the Inca Empire before the Spanish conquest. It is situated at an altitude of 3,400 meters above sea level in the Andes Mountains. The city's significance in the video is highlighted by its rich history and the remnants of the Inca civilization that can still be seen today, such as the stone walls and the sacred hill known as 'saaka man'.

💡Inca Empire

The Inca Empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, known for its advanced architecture, road system, and agricultural techniques. In the video, the Inca Empire is central to the theme as it provides historical context for the city of Cusco, its architecture, and the cultural practices such as worshipping nature and having Guardian Gods.

💡Spanish Conquest

The Spanish Conquest refers to the period in the early 16th century when the Spaniards invaded and conquered the Inca Empire. In the video, this event is significant as it led to the destruction of many Incan palaces and temples, leaving a lasting impact on the city's history and architecture.

💡Barack Cathedral

The Barack Cathedral is mentioned as one of the main gathering points in Cusco. It symbolizes the Spanish influence on the city after the conquest, as it was built on the site of an Incan temple. The video highlights the contrast between the Incan and Spanish eras through this structure.

💡Nature Worship

Nature worship was a key aspect of Inca culture, where elements of nature such as condors, pumas, and snakes were revered as Guardian Gods. The video emphasizes the deep connection the Inca people had with their environment, which is also reflected in the city's layout and the sacred sites within it.

💡Puma Shape

The city of Cusco is described as having a puma shape, with specific parts of the city representing the head and heart of the puma. This concept is integral to understanding the city's layout and the Inca's symbolic planning of their city, as seen in the video where the sacred hill is referred to as the head of the puma-shaped city.

💡Santo Domingo Convent

Santo Domingo Convent is a site in Cusco that was once a temple dedicated to the sun during the Inca period. The video discusses how the Spaniards took the golden statues of the Sun and removed the golden leaf from the walls, but left the stone structure and built the church on top, illustrating the overlay of Spanish and Inca history.

💡Inca Walls

Inca walls are a significant feature of Cusco, showcasing the advanced masonry techniques of the Inca civilization. The video mentions that some of these walls still stand, and they were once decorated in gold to represent the glow of sunshine, highlighting the Inca's artistic and architectural prowess.

💡Sacred Hill

The sacred hill, referred to as 'saaka man' in the video, is believed to have had a religious purpose and is considered the head of the puma-shaped city. It is an example of how the Inca integrated their religious beliefs into the physical layout of their city.

💡Inca Army

The Inca Army played a crucial role in the defense of the Inca Empire, as mentioned in the video where they barricaded themselves inside Cusco during the war against the Spaniards. This keyword provides insight into the military aspect of the Inca civilization and their resistance to the Spanish Conquest.

💡Colonial Times

Colonial times refer to the period after the Spanish conquest when the region was under Spanish rule. The video mentions a courtyard that dates back to this era, illustrating the transition from Inca to Spanish governance and the lasting impact on the city's architecture and culture.

Highlights

Historic city of Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire, is located in Peru at an altitude of 3,400 meters in the Andes Mountains.

The Plaza de Armas, with the Baroque cathedral, serves as a main gathering point in Cusco.

The Spanish invasion in the early 16th century led to the destruction of Incan palaces and temples.

Altars in Cusco were covered in gold, a material used from Incan monuments.

The Inca people worshiped nature, with Condors, Pumas, and snakes as Guardian Gods.

Cusco is designed in a Puma shape, with distinct parts representing the Head and the Heart.

Remnants of the Inca Empire have been discovered, with some stone walls still standing.

Santo Domingo Convent was built on the site of a temple dedicated to the sun during the Inca period.

The temple was considered the most sacred site in the city, with walls decorated in gold to represent sunshine.

Spanish conquerors took golden statues of the Sun and removed gold leaf from the walls, leaving the stone structure to build a church on top.

A courtyard dating back to Colonial times is present, with water sourced from an Inca period channel.

The sacred Hill of Saqsaywaman, believed to have had a religious purpose, is considered the head of the Puma-shaped city.

Stone walls at Saqsaywaman were part of the Inca's defense during the war against the Spaniards.

The mystery of the ancient Inca civilization still lingers in Cusco.

Music in the background adds to the atmospheric experience of exploring the ancient city.