Cusco

Cusco or Cuzco[a] ([ˈkusko]; Quechua: Qusqu or Qosqo [ˈqɔsqɔ]) is a city in southeastern Peru near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and the Huatanay river. It is the capital of the Department of Cusco and of the Cusco Province. The city is the seventh most populous in Peru; in 2017, it had a population of 428,450. Its elevation is around 3,400 m (11,200 ft). The city was the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th century until the 16th-century Spanish conquest. 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 and others. The Constitution of Peru (1993) designates the city as the Historical Capital of Peru.[2] The city is often dubbed the ''Rome of America''.