Lanikai Underway

Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire

Inca walls along an alley leading from the central plaza.  These walls are constructed with the stones in straight and even lines, which indicate walls from an important or religious structure.

Inca walls still support many of the structures in the central part of the city.  This wall, with its finely fitting stones in a random pattern, was constructed to withstand earthquakes.

View down into the central plaza (the Plaza de Armas) from a park on the heights above.  Both the Cathedral and the Jesuit Church, La Compañia at the end of the plaza, were constructed upon the ruins of Inca palaces.

The church of Santo Domingo was built on the Inca temple of Qoricancha.  This was the temple to the sun and was considered the center of the Inca empire.