This view of the cathedral and the plaza also shows us the tops of buildings stretching toward the mountains.
Cuzco is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized as having "developed, under the Inca ruler Pachacutec, into a complex urban centre with distinct religious and administrative functions. It was surrounded by clearly delineated areas for agricultural, artisan and industrial production. When the Spaniards conquered it in the 16th century, they preserved the basic structure but built Baroque churches and palaces over the ruins of the Inca city."
Most visitors fly into Cuzco, tour the city and use it as base for visiting Machu Picchu, the Scared Valley of the Urubamba, Sacsayhuaman and other nearby attractions.