Machu Picchu may get plaudits as Peru’s premier tourist attraction, but the Incas were just the last of the country’s pre-Columbian cultures. From the cloud-strewn Andes to harsh coastal deserts, this fascinating place is teeming with clues left behind by the region’s indigenous rulers.
Visitors get a glimpse of the good stuff right away, at least if they’re crossing into Peru overland from Bolivia. Incan legend holds that Lake Titicaca, which serves as a natural barrier between the two nations, was the birthplace of mankind, hence the huge statue of Manco Cupac, the founder of the Incan Empire, rising over the lake from the Peruvian border town of Puno.
Manco Capac surveys his domain, Puno
However, it was up north in Cuzco where Manco Capac (also known as Manco Inca) established his 13th century capital, an empire that eventually extended from Ecuador to Argentina. Unfortunately, in 1528 the Spanish — fresh from conquests in Mexico — arrived at the border, leading to a brutal war led by Francisco Pizarro, who ultimately founded the viceroyalty of Peru.
Sunday service in Puno
Along with plundering Incan gold, the conquistadors’ mission was to convert the Andeans to Christianity. Many of Cuzco’s structures were cleared to make way for Spanish churches, and to decorate their new houses of worship, the Spanish turned to local artists — with mixed results. Cuzco’s main cathedral features a huge painting of the Last Supper, which depicts Jesus and his disciples enjoying a meal of guinea pig, a neighborhood favorite intended to win over local crowds.
Basilica on the left, church on the right: Spanish architecture dominates central Cuzco
While the Spanish destroyed much of the Inca civilization, thankfully many of their structures still remain. North of Cuzco, the Incas built a number of cities within the peaks overlooking the River Urubamba, known here as the Sacred Valley. Perhaps the most spectacular of these sites is Pisac, a cluster of ruins perched high above the valley floor, with precipitous cliffs on either side.
Inca hill fort of Pisac
After whetting our appetites in the Sacred Valley, we set off for Machu Picchu, boarding the slow train which winds through the steep valleys and deep gorges that surround the city. Despite plundering so much of the country, the Spanish never made it this far, possibly because this area was abandoned during or before the invasion. It wasn’t until 1911 that the American explorer Hiram Bingham happened across the ruins, an astonishing series of stone temples, palaces and mountain terraces that often appear suspended amongst the clouds.
Machu Picchu
This lost city certainly didn’t disappoint, at least once the weather cleared enough for us to see it in all its glory. From here, we headed for the coast, towards the ancient city of Nazca. Amongst the barren rocks of the world’s driest desert, this pre-Incan civilization was crafting mile-long lines and geometric patterns, though scientists can only speculate as to their purpose — some argue they were maps of the heavens or even signals to aliens. Today it’s generally accepted that the markings featured as pathways in religious ceremonies.
Nazca lines
By the time the Spanish arrived in Peru many of its older civilizations, including the Nazca, had long since disappeared. Luckily, most of them left behind a vast array of pottery and ceremonial items. The Museo Oro Del Peru, in Lima, is just one of the many museums offering a stellar collection of exquisite pre-columbian artifacts, including pottery bowls and gold ornaments. The stylized animal designs and monochrome patterns on many pieces have a distinctive, surrealist quality. I’m sure Dali would have been a fan.
Surviving pre-Columbian pottery
In general, Lima is a fascinating city to explore. We based ourselves in one of the oldest parts of town, Miraflores, a leafy neighborhood that spans the steep cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. These elevated parks are perpetually packed with runners and paragliders basking in spectacular ocean views, while the breaking waves below are filled with brave surfers.
Sweeping views from Miraflores, Lima
Jen and I had been looking forward to exploring Peru further, but our plans to travel north towards Chan Chan, another ancient civilization, were nixed by bad weather. Severe flooding had made the route treacherous and washed out an important bridge, so much so that even Latin America’s traditionally devil-may-care drivers wouldn’t venture past a certain point. We consoled ourselves by crafting plans to explore northern Peru on a return visit; this fascinating place doesn’t feel like a country we’re done with quite yet.
Tom Mountford