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Centro Historico De Cusco

Landmarks ·Cusco ·Open now
4.714.3K
#1Landmarks in Cusco#2Landmarks in PeruTravelers' Choice 2026
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About

Centro Historico de Cusco (Historic Centre of Cusco): former Inca capital, UNESCO site in Cusco, Peru, one of Peru's most important tourist destinations.

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Centro Historico De Cusco

Centro Historico De CuscoCentro Historico De CuscoCentro Historico De CuscoCentro Historico De CuscoCentro Historico De Cusco

Why go

  • The Inca retaining walls of the former Coricancha, exposed by the 1950 earthquake and later rediscovered.
  • Santa Clara and San Blas, where Incan and Spanish architecture mix.
  • The Inca structure inside a temple, fully exposed by restoration, with the Spanish building beside it kept intact.

Opening hours

Today00:00 – 23:59Show all
Monday00:00 – 23:59
Tuesday00:00 – 23:59
Wednesday00:00 – 23:59
Thursday00:00 – 23:59
Friday00:00 – 23:59
Saturday00:00 – 23:59
Sunday00:00 – 23:59

Know before you go

  • Open 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

Tips for your visit

  • The Catholic temples on the main square received more blue-and-white shields in 2022.
  • The main zone covers about 139.35 hectares, with a buffer zone of 284.93 hectares.

Interesting facts1

  1. The World Heritage Site has a main area and three detached parts inside its buffer zone.

    Historic Centre of Cusco - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

The city served as capital of the Kingdom of Cuzco, and then of the Inca Empire. After the Spanish captured it, they demolished older buildings and reused their bases. The original spatial layout of the city was kept while new buildings went up. After independence, Lima overshadowed the city's influence. The city helped the Peruvian resistance during the War of the Pacific. It also took part in the civil war between Andrés A. Cáceres and Nicolás de Piérola.

  1. 900–1200 ADThe Killke culture occupied the site.
  2. 1533The Spanish Empire captured the city during the Inca Civil War.
  3. 1814Rebellions of Túpac Amaru II and a Government Junta took place here.
  4. 1821–1824The city briefly served again as capital of the viceroyalty.
  5. 1950A major earthquake damaged more than a third of the city's structures.
Show all
  1. 1972The Peruvian government declared the historic centre a Monumental Zone.
  2. 1974 and 1991The monumental area was expanded, first in 1974 and again in 1991.
  3. 1983UNESCO made it a World Heritage Site, under the name City of Cuzco.

Sources: Historic Centre of Cusco - Wikipedia · Cuzco - Wikivoyage (sleep) · checked 17 Oct 2026

Where
Cusco

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

What are the opening hours of the Centro Historico de Cusco?

The historic centre of Cusco is open 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

Is the Centro Historico de Cusco a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Yes. UNESCO made the centre a World Heritage Site in 1983, under the name City of Cuzco.

Does the Centro Historico de Cusco have a street address?

No. The only address is the city, Cusco, with no street.

Can a family visit the Centro Historico de Cusco at any time?

Yes, the site is open 24 hours a day, so a family can plan a visit at any time of day.

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