Chinchero Archaeological Site

Chinchero sits at 3,760 metres on the plateau between Cusco and the Sacred Valley, and it was a royal estate of Túpac Inca Yupanqui - terraces stepping down from the village, retaining walls in fine masonry, niched enclosures and a plaza. The Spanish built the church of Nuestra Señora de Monserrat directly on Inca foundations in the early seventeenth century, and its interior is covered in painted decoration of the Cusco school on walls, ceiling and beams, one of the more complete surviving schemes of its kind. The village is also known for weaving: several cooperatives demonstrate the whole process from washing raw fleece with saqta root to natural dyeing with cochineal and plants, and they sell directly. A new international airport has been under construction on the plateau nearby for years, a project that has been contested over its effect on the site and the valley.

The main sights

• The terraces - Inca agricultural steps below a royal estate.
• The church - built on Inca walls, with a fully painted interior.
• The masonry - retaining walls and niches from the estate of Túpac Inca Yupanqui.
• The weaving cooperatives - dyeing and backstrap weaving demonstrated and sold.

When to go

April to October. Sunday brings the traditional market, which is busier and more commercial than it once was. One to two hours.

Before you go

At 3,760 metres this is higher than Cusco and visitors feel it. Cold and windy. Weaving demonstrations end in a sales pitch, which is the point of them. Photography is restricted inside the church.

Nearby

Maras and Moray are north; Urubamba is down the road into the valley.

Key facts