Cusco

Timeline

1. c. 1438–1533Cusco · Andes MountainsCusco was the sacred capital of the Inca Empire, renowned for the Temple of the Sun (Coricancha) and its stone architecture, and served as the radiating center of the empire's politics, religion, and road system.
2. 1533–1572Cusco · Spanish colonial PeruAfter the Spanish conquest, cathedrals and monasteries were built on Inca sites; the Temple of the Sun was converted into the Church of Santo Domingo, and the city became the core stronghold for colonial rule over the Andean indigenous peoples.
3. c. 1572–1600Cusco · Viceroyalty of PeruAlthough Lima was the capital of the Viceroyalty, Cusco remained the bishopric of the Andean region and a symbol of Inca heritage, a key node linking the silver mines of Potosí with indigenous communities.
4. c. 1611–1620Cusco · Viceroyalty of PeruBetween 1611 and 1620, Cusco was relatively stable under the Spanish colonial order, with church powers and local elites co-governing; the city blended Inca stonework with Baroque colonial architecture and continued to serve regional religious and administrative functions.
5. 1821Cusco · PeruAfter Peruvian independence, Cusco, as a historic center of both Inca and colonial heritage, was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1983 and became an important symbol of Andean culture and tourism.