Cusco

The region was inhabited by the Killke culture in the 10th century, with the fortress Sacsayhuamán being constructed in the 11th century. The city was originally founded in the 12th century by Manco Cápac, as the capital of the Kingdom of Cusco and, later, of the Inca Empire. The region was conquered in the 16th century by the Spanish and reestablished on 23 March 1534, with most of the city being constructed over monuments left from the Inca Empire. In 1983, Cusco was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO with the title "City of Cusco". It has become a major tourist destination, hosting over 2 million visitors a year and providing passage to numerous Incan ruins, such as Machu Picchu, one of the seven modern wonders of the world. The Constitution of Peru (1993) designates the city as the Historical Capital of Peru.

Cusco is the seventh-most populous city in Peru; in 2017, it had a population of 428,450. It is also the largest city in the Peruvian Andes and the region is the seventh-most populous metropolitan area of Peru.