Peru (2): Cuzco

Photos by Adam Jones

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I.
Cuzco, Sidestreet (4)

II.
Colonial Cuzco

III.
Cuzco, Outskirts

IV.
Police in the Plaza de Armas, Cuzco

V.
Coricancha / Church of Santo Domingo, Cuzco (1)

"The church of Santo Domingo is famous as the site of Coricancha, Cuzco's
major Inca temple. ...Today, all that remains of Coricancha (once the Inca empire's
richest temple) is the stonework -- the precious stones and metals were looted by the
conquistadors.

"In Inca times, Coricancha (or Q'orikancha -- Quecha for 'golden courtyard') was literally
covered with gold. The temple walls were lined with some 700 solid-gold sheets, each weighing
about 2kg. There were lifesize gold and silver replicas of corn that were ceremonially
'planted' in agricultural rituals. Also reported were solid-gold treasures such as altars,
llamas and babies, as well as a replica of the arrival of the sun, which was lost. Within months
of the arrival of the first conquistadors, this incredible wealth had all been melted down."
- Lonely Planet, Peru

VI.
Coricancha / Church of Santo Domingo (2)

Showing the Inca stonework that runs along the base (the curved wall at top right is visible
from above in the previous photo).

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All photographs are copyright Adam Jones 2002. Permission is granted for non-commercial use
if the author is acknowledged and notified.
adamj_jones@hotmail.com