I'm in Cusco, Peru for a couple of days in advance of a trek up to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail. As part of the trip, the guide service offers a tour of some of the historical sites of the city. In addition to sharing the rich history of the area, these couple of days give visitors a chance to acclimate to the elevation, which is over 11,000 feet. For our first stop of the day, my guide takes me to Qorikancha, an important temple for the Inca and later converted to a religious center by the conquering Spanish.
From the exterior, everything about the structure looks Spanish, but once inside, it is obvious that the conquistadors build their structures on top of the magnificent Inca stonework that predated their arrival. The heavy wooden doors open up into a large courtyard, which is a hodge-podge of the two cultures. What's interesting though is that the Spanish construction has collapsed several times during earthquakes, while the interlocking, tightly-fitted Inca masonry work just laughs when the ground rumbles.
After leaving the courtyard, we had out for a view of the terraces to the Southeast of the main structure. From here, there is no doubt that the origins of this place are with the Inca. This site is often used for community events. It's a great start to what I hope will be an amazing trip.
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