What was the name of the Inca capital?

Answer 1

The Incan Empire existed between 1200 and 1535 A.D. It was located in the Andes Mountains in South America. It appears in red on the map at right. The empire included parts of what are now the countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. The capital city, Cuzco, was in the present-day country of Peru.

According to Incan legend, the Incas first settled in the village of Paquari-tampu, about 24 kilometers (15 miles) south of Cuzco. Around 1200 A.D., Manco Capac led the Incas to settle in Cuzco. In 1438, the Incas began conquering neighboring peoples and organized the Incan Empire. Cuzco became the center of the new empire.

At its peak, the Incan Empire covered more than 4,020 kilometers (2,255 miles) along the western coast of South America. Incan cities were built on the high plains and on the steep sides of the Andes Mountains. Ruins from these ancient sites can still be seen today.

The Andes is the longest mountain range in the world. It stretches along the entire western side of South America. That is about 8,900 kilometers (5,500 miles).The tallest peak is Aconcagua, shown by the red dot on the map. It is 6,959 meters (22,831 feet) high. Aconcagua is an extinct volcano. Most of the highest peaks in the Andes are also vocanoes. The land masses that formed the mountain range are very unstable. Because of this, earthquakes are common in the region.

The climate in the Andes Mountains differs from place to place, depending on elevation. In the mountains, temperatures drop as the elevation increases. The highest peaks are always snow-covered. Plateaus, at lower elevations, have a mild climate that is good for farming.

The llama was domesticated by the Incas. It was useful in the mountain villages. It is sure-footed on mountain trails and can carry loads up to 100 pounds. A llama can travel 15 to 20 miles with a full load. It can live for weeks without drinking water.

Don't worry about a llama being overworked, however. When a llama feels its load is too heavy or that it has worked hard enough, it will lie down and refuse to move!

Cuzco was the capital of the Incan Empire. The word Cuzco is a Quechua word that means "navel." It was the "navel," or center, of the Incan Empire. Only the emperor, royalty, and nobility were allowed to live in Cuzco. There, all government and religious decisions were made.Cuzco was laid out in the shape of a The Incas made the puma a symbol of strength and power. They built the fortress of Sacsahuamn at the puma's head. The temple of Coricancha, dedicated to the sun, was built at the puma's tail. The temple was decorated with small gold plates that reflected the light of the sun. Cuzco also had a main square where rituals and ceremonies were held.

The Incas built a network of roads that connected all parts of the empire. There were more than 10,000 miles of roadway, with two main roads. One ran along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, and the other went around the Andes Mountains. Small roads in between connected the two main roads. The roads near the cities were very wide and paved with stone.