Chinchero: Beginning to many worlds & to Sacred Valley

09 May 2018 (3746 reads)

Chinchero known as the city of the Rainbow and it is located 28 km. northwest of Cusco, about 3160 m., flanked by snow-capped Salkantay, Veronica and Soray. The view from here is breathtaking. Chinchero belongs to the province of Urubamba, department of Cusco.

Chinchero, the most typical of the Sacred Valley population is a purely Inca city that the conquerors wanted to "civilize" and establish their culture, but never succeeded fully. Its inhabitants live almost intact Inca buildings in the same place where their ancestors lived and formed the largest and most prosperous civilization in America.

In the archaeological site of Chinchero initially striking its platforms, allowing understand that was a center of agricultural production in the Inca, a warehouse was also built and endowed the whole complex system very efficient irrigation. The story goes that with the arrival of the Spaniards, Chinchero was burned in 1536 by Manco Inca, in his escape to Vilcabamba, in order not to leave anything in Spanish.

About Tupac Yupanqui Palace Spaniards built the Church of Our Lady of Montserrat in 1607, in order to represent symbolically submission. Its main altar carved in gold leaf and baroque style is dedicated to the Virgen de la Natividad. Its walls are decorated with works of Diego Quispe Tito the head of the Cusco School. There are also works of Francisco Chihuantito.

In Chinchero it lasts stubbornly persists, as if the spirit of an ancient culture here clinging, refusing to disappear. Native villagers, dressed in colorful costumes, down from their communities on Sundays and agglomerate in the main square to exchange their products. See this whole group of people deep cultural roots, outside any sign of modernity, it is a spectacle.

In the busy and colorful Sunday market chinchero can be found objects, some truly ancient domestic appliances such as the famous textile chinchero. In this town, with knit communities Could retain, intangible living heritage of extraordinary value, which is expressed both in textiles and agricultural practices and a network of family and community relationships. In the workshops of artisans associations are exposed daily throughout the weaving process, from washing the wool to the finished product, you learn the techniques of spinning, dyeing and weaving.

From Chinchero you can access the beautiful Laguna de Huaypo and people of Piuray. Chinchero is also known for being a nation of talented textile artisans.

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