The San Blas neighborhood is one of the must-see places to visit on your trip to Cusco. Its steep cobbled streets, the incredible works of art of its famous artisans and an observatory to see the entire city of Cusco; are just some of the great attractions that draw hundreds of tourists every day. The history of San Blas goes back to the Inca Empire. During this era, the neighborhood was called T’oqokachi, which in Quechua means “Salt Cave”. Here lived, ’til this day, important families dedicated to architecture and craftsmanship. T’oqokachi was a place with much charm because of its elevation, here you could find springsheads and have the advantage of a spectacular view of the entire valley of Cusco. In addition, among its streets the remains of Pachacutec were found, one of the most important Incas and the one who ordered the construction of Machu Picchu. Due to this reason, it is believed that this place was of great importance to the Inca elite. With the arrival of the Spaniards, the neighborhood’s name changed to San Blas in honor of a bishop of the third century who dedicated his time to healing people and animals. The conquerors destroyed the few temples that were once here and instead, they constructed the buildings we can see today when we walk through the streets of San Blas. The colonial architecture with great Andean influence gives this neighborhood a magical touch, making you fall in love when walking through this neighborhood. After Peru’s independence and with the arrival of the Republic, the San Blas neighborhood started to gradually become one of the main tourist attractions of Cusco and continued to be the home of great artists from Cusco. Some of these artistic families include: Mendivil, Olave and Merida. They posses authentic art galleries you can visit in the neighborhood and maybe even purchase some of their artwork.
Cusco Photo Gallery
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