Cuzco: Incas, Spaniards, and the Making of a Colonial City

Cuzco's transformation from an Inca capital to a Spanish colonial city between 1534 and 1560 is meticulously reconstructed through firsthand accounts, official documents, and archaeological evidence. Unlike previous studies that focused on post-earthquake architecture, this research illuminates the city's transition during its formative years, revealing how Spanish rule reshaped Inca structures like the House of the Sun (Coricancha) into symbolic colonial landmarks, such as the Dominican convent. The study leverages primary sources from chroniclers like Juan de Betanzos and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega to trace urban changes, including the 1536–37 siege by Manco Inca and subsequent civil wars. While it lacks detailed topographical plans or distinctions between existing and hypothetical Inca walls, its rigorous analysis bridges art history and literary history, offering a nuanced account of Cuzco's layered past.

Morgado, P. (2021). Cuzco: Incas, Spaniards, and the Making of a Colonial City. Hispanic American Historical Review, 101(3), 513–514. https://doi.org/10.1215/00182168-9051977