City of Cuzco


World Heritage Identification Number: 273

World Heritage since: 1983

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇵🇪 Peru

Continent: Americas

UNESCO World Region: Latin America and the Caribbean

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The City of Cuzco: A Blend of Ancient Incan and Colonial Architecture

The City of Cuzco, located in the Peruvian Andes, stands as a testament to the rich history and cultural diversity of South America. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, this ancient city offers a unique blend of Incan and colonial architecture that reflects its tumultuous past and enduring spirit.

More to come…

UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Situated in the Peruvian Andes, Cuzco developed, under the Inca ruler Pachacutec, into a complex urban centre with distinct religious and administrative functions. It was surrounded by clearly delineated areas for agricultural, artisan and industrial production. When the Spaniards conquered it in the 16th century, they preserved the basic structure but built Baroque churches and palaces over the ruins of the Inca city.

Encyclopedia Record: Cusco

Cusco or Cuzco is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range, and the Huatanay and Urubamba rivers. It is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Cusco Province and Cusco Department. It has historically been one of the largest cultural, economic and political centers of Peru.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 142.48 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: -13.517276 , -71.980004

Image

Image of City of Cuzco

© W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
70 km — Peru
Manú National Park
143 km — Peru
Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
324 km — Peru
Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Palpa
367 km — Peru
Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture
490 km — Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

Country Information: Peru

Flag of Peru

Official Name: Republic of Peru

Capital: Lima

Continent: Americas

Population (2024): 34,217,848

Population (2023): 33,845,617

Population (2022): 33,475,438

Land Area: 1,280,000 sq km

Currency: Peruvian sol (PEN)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page City of Cuzco are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Cusco, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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