CUZCO, THE ANCIENT INCA CAPITAL
[Illustration: ANCIENT ADOBE ARCHWAY NEAR CUZCO.]
As the Imperial City of the Children of the Sun, Cuzco was, four
centuries ago, the metropolis of a vast domain, greater in extent and
richer in treasure than most civilized countries of its day. Few
capitals rivalled the chief city of the Incas in wealth and population
at the time of the Spanish invasion, when, with its rural environs that
stretched out for leagues in every direction, it numbered two hundred
thousand inhabitants, and was the centre of religious and social
influence in all Peru. Every subject of the Inca looked toward Cuzco
with pride and reverence, glorying in its palaces and temples and
bringing tribute to its sovereigns from the remotest provinces, in
adoration of the royal grandeur and power. Gold, silver, precious
stones, and fine textiles were constantly added to the storehouse of
treasure which the sacred city guarded as the divine right of its
princes. No wealth was ever permitted to leave its precincts. It is no
wonder that the Spaniards were amazed at the magnificence of its temples
and the abundance of its treasure. For centuries, the contributions had
accumulated, and with each succeeding emperor the splendor of the royal
palaces was enhanced by new gifts, and the golden disks in the Sun
temples grew larger and of finer workmanship.
[Illustration: A FEAST DAY CELEBRATION, SHOWING THE UNIVERSITY AND THE
JESUITS’ CHURCH, CUZCO.]
It is impossible to visit Cuzco without finding its wonderful stone
walls and ancient ruins objects of increasing interest and curiosity.
Every street and alley tells a story of Inca days, old walls of Incaic
architecture forming the base of many of the modern edifices. In Cuzco
more than in any other city of the New World, the ancient landmarks have
been preserved in the midst of modern changes. The Temple of the Sun and
the great fortress of Sacsahuaman, “the Capitol and Coliseum of Peruvian
Rome,” still present interesting features to the sightseer,
notwithstanding the vandalism of the Conquerors and the destructive
elements of time. Not only is the convent of Santo Domingo built on the
foundation walls of the ancient Coricancha,—the greatest and richest of
all the temples of Inca worship,—but a Christian altar occupies the very
place where the sacred emblem of the Sun god was guarded by the high
priests of Tahuantinsuyo, and the cells of the convent of Santa Catalina
are the same chambers that were once reserved for the Virgins of the
Sun. The cloister of Santo Domingo is formed of massive stone columns,
which support a beautifully carved archway surrounding the _patio_ or
inner garden of the convent. This was one of the first edifices built by
the Spaniards in Peru; and a short distance away is the historic spot
where the Conquerors formed their quartel and took refuge when
overpowered by the superior numbers of the Indians. Tradition relates
that, on one occasion, the Spaniards were besieged in this entrenchment,
and were about to perish,—the Indians having set fire to the
defences,—when the Virgin Mary descended in a cloud to their relief,
accompanied by the patron saint of Spain, Saint James, or “Santiago,” on
a white horse. By this divine interposition, the flames were
extinguished and victory rewarded the brave propagators of the faith.
The cathedral was erected near this spot, one of its chapels, called
“Our Lady of the Triumph,” serving to commemorate this miracle.
[Illustration: INTERIOR OF THE JESUITS’ CHURCH, CUZCO.]
The old churches and other structures of colonial times are as
interesting in their way as the remains of Incaic architecture, and
Cuzco is full of reminiscences of the viceroyalty. The cathedral, built
in the style of the Renaissance, was begun soon after the Conquest, and
was not completed until ninety years later, in the middle of the
seventeenth century. It is of stone and the cost of construction was so
great that one of the viceroys remarked “it would have been less
expensive in silver.” The interior consists of three naves, separated by
stone pillars which support high, vaulted arches; in the central nave is
the choir, the carving of which is superb; and in front of it stands the
high altar, covered with silver. Two organs fill the church with the
music of their rich tones on Sundays and feast days. The cathedral has
many paintings, one of which, _El Señor de la Agonia_, is a masterpiece,
said to be an original Van Dyck. In the sacristy are portraits of the
popes and of all the bishops of Cuzco. One of the most precious
possessions of the cathedral is the monstrance, which is ornamented with
pearls, diamonds, emeralds, rubies and other precious stones of great
value. In the naves to the right and left of the main entrance to the
cathedral are chapels dedicated to the images of the Virgin, our Lord
and the Saints, worshipped in special commemoration of some miracle. The
Indians are particularly devoted to _Our Lord of the Earthquakes_,
represented by an image that is blackened with the smoke of candles that
have been placed on the altar by innumerable worshippers. It is not
unusual to see the space in front of this chapel occupied by a group of
Indians on their knees, gazing in adoration on the image of _El Señor de
los Temblores_, whom they regard as their especial protector. Their
religious processions in his honor are held on Monday of Holy Week and
are attended by an immense concourse.
[Illustration: THE PREFECTURE, CUZCO.]
The signal for beginning a religious procession in Cuzco is given by the
ringing of the great bell of the cathedral, the “Maria Angola,” one of
the richest and clearest-toned bells in the world. The history of the
“Maria Angola” is interesting. It is named in honor of a pious lady of
Cuzco who gave three hundred pounds’ weight of gold to be used in
casting it. This enormous bell, which is large enough to cover a group
of eight men, was cast in the city of Cuzco in 1659. An inclined plane
had to be built from the cathedral tower to the street in order to raise
the colossal piece of bronze to its place, and the task required the
employment of a host of workmen. The prevailing controversy of the time
when the bell was made is indicated by the words engraved on its border:
_Ora pro nobis, Alabada sea el Santisimo Sacramento del Altar y la
Purisima Conception de Nuestra Señora, sin pecado original_ [“Pray for
us; Glory be to the most holy sacrament of the Altar and the most pure
conception of Our Lady, without original sin.”] The rich, sonorous tones
of the “Maria Angola” may be heard twenty-five miles away from Cuzco,
and the music is most beautiful and potent to incline one to a spirit of
reverence. When its clear tones announce the elevation of the Host, the
venders in the market place fall on their knees and the business of
buying and selling is suspended while the solemn voice from the
cathedral tower calls to a more sacred duty. It is said that the soft,
vibrant tone of the “Maria Angola” bell is due to the great amount of
gold in its composition.
[Illustration: CALLE MARQUEZ, CUZCO.]
When one visits the chief places of interest in Cuzco, there is so much
to be seen that it is customary to divide the time so as to make
separate excursions to the Incaic ruins, the old colonial churches and
palaces, and finally to the places where modern enterprise is to be
seen. A day among the wonders of Sacsahuaman, the Rodadero, the ancient
walls of Pachacutec’s palace, the house once occupied by an Inca
“medicine man” (easily recognized by the seven serpents carved in relief
on the façade), the narrow alleys with their curious legends, is
sufficient to inspire enthusiasm for a trip to the neighboring town of
Pisac, where it is possible to climb the mountain to the observatory of
Inti-Huatana and spend interesting hours in speculation as to the uses
the Incas made of the edifice that once topped this almost inaccessible
eminence. Still more fascinating are the ruins of Ollantaytambo, which
lie a few leagues north of Cuzco, the site of stupendous monuments of
Incaic architecture, and once the favorite summer residence of the
sovereigns of Cuzco. From the height of its walls, the prospect sweeps
to the far horizon, following the beautiful Urubamba valley, or narrows
to right and left where high mountains shut out a larger view. Far up
the sides of these towering cliffs the Incas’ subjects were buried in
caverns hollowed out like swallows’ nests, the openings being covered
over with earth to hide their sepulchre. It is not known where the
bodies of the Incas themselves were hidden when they were taken from the
Temple of the Sun at the approach of the Spaniards. A great treasure
awaits the discoverer, for it is said that when an emperor died his body
was embalmed and placed in the Temple of the Sun on a throne of gold;
both the golden thrones and their occupants disappeared with the advent
of the Conquerors and they have never been found.
[Illustration: THE UNIVERSITY OF CUZCO.]
On the site of the Church of the Compañia, or the Jesuits’ church, in
the Plaza Matriz, once stood the palace of the Inca Huayna-Ccapac in the
midst of gardens that covered the area now occupied by the church and
the neighboring University of Cuzco. The three plazas now known as
Matriz, Regocijo, and San Francisco, then formed a single large square,
in which were celebrated the grand public festivals dedicated to the
Sun; it was this large square which was encircled by the celebrated gold
chain of Huascar. None of the convents and churches built during the
viceroyalty show greater architectural beauty than the Compañia. The
interior is cruciform, has a single broad nave, whose massive stone
pillars are of varied design, some round and others square, with Doric
capital on which rest the great arches that are the most imposing
features of its architecture. A large dome, supported on four arches of
beautiful design, marks the division of the cross where the nave is met
by transverse aisles, and on the face of this rotunda is sculptured the
coat-of-arms of the Company of Jesus, in elaborate design.
[Illustration: VENDERS IN THE ARCADE, CUZCO.]
Though the interior of the Compañia is a magnificent example of the
church architecture of Cuzco, the cloister of Merced is also much to be
admired, with its superb arches on the upper and lower galleries
surrounding the _patio_, and its wonderful staircases made of blocks of
black granite. The cloister itself is built of stone taken from the
fortress of Sacsahuaman, the architecture being of the seventeenth
century, Greco-Roman in style. Cuzco has also, in the parochial church
of San Blas, one of the handsomest pulpits in existence, a superb
specimen of the finest wood-carving of the seventeenth century.
The Cuzco of the Incas and the viceroyalty is so absorbing in interest
that the modern city must pay the penalty of past fame by a harder
struggle for present recognition than new cities have to experience.
When a town springs up under the impulse of modern enterprise, every
feature of its growth and development is noted; but when it has “a
history,” the greatest effort is necessary to win even a passing comment
on its present condition. Cuzco has made notable progress within the
past few years and is constantly improving in social and industrial
development. When President José Pardo visited the city in 1905, he was
impressed by the favorable outlook for this section of the republic,
destined to be one of the richest industrial centres of South America.
The city of Cuzco, capital of the department of the same name, occupies
a central position in southern Peru. It lies in the valley of the
Urubamba River, on the banks of the Huatanay, at an altitude of nearly
twelve thousand feet above sea level. To the south and west are the
plateaus and sierras of the highest Cordilleras, while to the north and
east the country slopes rapidly to the region of the Montaña, with its
virgin forests and intermingling waterways.
The city of Cuzco is lighted with electricity, and has a complete system
of waterworks, recently installed, which ensures an abundance of water
for all purposes, and provides the means for improving the sanitation of
the city and rendering it a more desirable place of residence. Formerly
the lack of a sufficient water supply made it impossible for the
authorities to enforce hygienic measures of the greatest importance; but
now that this difficulty has been removed, Cuzco is making its streets
clean and its plazas beautiful. The water is brought down from
neighboring springs ten miles distant, by means of aqueducts and pipes,
the old Spanish aqueduct being also utilized for the purpose. From a
reservoir of masonry, with a capacity of three thousand cubic metres,
the water is distributed at the rate of three hundred gallons a second.
New telegraph and telephone lines connect Cuzco with other cities of the
department, long distance wires having been established between the
capital and Paucartambo, Abancay, and other points, in addition to the
national telegraph lines. New public buildings have been constructed
during the present administration, and improvements have been made in
many institutions. The Prefecture, which occupies the site where Pizarro
lived when in Cuzco, was remodelled and beautified a short time ago.
Public instruction has received greater attention within the past few
years than ever before, and, from the primary school to the university,
the tendency is in favor of special training with a view to its
practical uses. The University of Cuzco is one of the oldest educational
institutions of Peru, and in its cloisters some of the most noted
Peruvian scholars found inspiration. Cuzco was the birthplace of the
great historian of the Incas, Garcilaso de la Vega, and of the learned
writers Castro, Espinoza Medrano, Heras; Perez, who was called “the
bishop of epigrams,” Leonardo Villar, a famous physician and scholar;
Antonio Lorena, the anthropologist; David Matto, learned in
bacteriology; Narciso Arestegui, the novelist; as well as the military
leaders, General Gamarra, La Puerta, and many others who were proud to
claim the old Inca capital as their native city.
In the new era of progress on which Peru has entered with so much
promise, the ancient Cuzco, that was held in reverence as the “centre of
the universe” ages before America was discovered by the European, will
hold its own among its more modern sister cities. The treasure of its
ancient ruins but adds interest to a city that knows how to keep in line
with the march of modern civilization.
[Illustration: A RELIGIOUS PROCESSION IN CUZCO.]
[Illustration: A RUBBER ESTABLISHMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LORETO.]