Cusco was the capital of the Inca empire and the Region (which includes the Urubamba Valley, also known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas) contains many archaeological sites. The Inca people were originally one of several tribes in the Cusco area who in the 12th century during the reign of the first Inca Manco Capac founded the small city state of Cusco. Their dramatic expansion from a relatively small kingdom to an extensive empire began in 1438 under the Inca Pachacuti or Pachacuteq and was continued by his successors. Images of archaeological sites in the Cusco Region can be found in this gallery, images of the remains of Inca sites and walls in Cusco city itself are in the Cusco City Cityscapes Churches Inca Sites gallery. Non archaeological images of the Cusco Region can be found in the separate Cusco Region gallery.
