Cuzco

Cuzco or Cusco, city in southern Peru, capital of Cuzco Department, in the valley of the Huatanay River, 3,360 m (11,024 ft) above sea level. The principal industries of the city are tanning, brewing, sugar refining, chocolate production, and the manufacture of cotton goods. Cuzco is the seat of a bishopric and the National University of San Antonio Abad (1962). The city contains many remains of Inca times, including the famous Inca temple of the sun; parts of the Inca wall that once surrounded the city; and numerous doorways, arches, and building walls. Many of the present-day houses, usually of adobe with red tile roofs, have remains of Inca stonework for their foundations. Among buildings dating from the Spanish occupation are the Renaissance cathedral, built at the beginning of the 17th century, and the prefecture, formerly the palace of the Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro. Although much of the city was destroyed by an earthquake in 1950, the historic sites have been restored. Population (2005 estimate) 103,836.