Chinchero, discover its culture and tradition

Published: 11 May 2023 | Update: 14 November 2025 | Reads: 2789

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Chinchero is a town and capital district in the province of Urubamba, located in the highlands about 30 kilometers from the city of Cusco. At an altitude of 3,762 masl, it is one of the most representative towns in the region, known for the notable combination of its Inca archaeological site, its colonial heritage and a textile culture that is still preserved.

Like other towns in the valley, the current Chinchero Peru sits on top of an important pre-Hispanic settlement. It was chosen by the Inca Túpac Yupanqui as his royal residence, which explains the monumentality of its constructions and on the foundations of what was the Inca's palace, the colonial church of Nuestra Señora de Monserrat was built.

Besides its architectural and historical importance, Chinchero is recognized as the center of textile crafts in the Sacred Valley. Its communities and interpretation centers are famous for preserving and demonstrating the techniques of spinning, and natural dyeing of alpaca wool. This guide will provide all the information to know the culture and tradition of Chinchero.

Location

Chinchero is located in the province of Urubamba, in the department of Cusco. Geographically, the town is located on the Chinchero high plateau, a high-altitude plain located at 3,762 masl. This is a distinctive feature, as it is located at a significantly higher altitude than the city of Cusco (3,399 m) and the towns of the Sacred Valley like Pisac or Ollantaytambo (which are around 2,900 m).

Logistically, Chinchero is located about 30 kilometers northwest of the city of Cusco, a journey that takes approximately 40 minutes on the main road that leads to Urubamba. Due to this location, many organized Sacred Valley tours include it as the first point to visit from Cusco or, more commonly, as the last stop on the way back from Ollantaytambo.

Chinchero and its history:

The history of Chinchero is a clear example of the mix of cultures that defines Cusco.

Pre-Inca and Inca Period
Before the rise of the Incas, the pampa of Chinchero was inhabited by the Ayarmaca ethnic group. After they were brought into the empire, Spanish chroniclers mention that the Inca Túpac Yupanqui (Pachacutec's successor) chose this place to build his royal palace or panaca (royal estate) outside of Cusco. Its location was strategic, as it controlled access to the Sacred Valley (towards Yucay) and the routes to the jungle. During his rule, the palace and the vast system of andenes (agricultural terraces) that still define the landscape today were built.
Conquest and Resistance
Chinchero played a key role during the Spanish invasion. In 1536, during the great rebellion, Manco Inca (the leader of the resistance) used a "scorched earth" tactic in his retreat from Cusco to Vilcabamba. He burned Chinchero to destroy the tambos (inns) and qullqas (food storehouses), thus preventing the Spanish troops from resupplying and chasing him.
Colonial Era and Syncretism
In order to control the indigenous population and evangelize them, Viceroy Toledo ordered the construction of a Christian church directly on the foundations of Tupac Yupanqui's palace around 1572. This church, dedicated to Our Lady of Monserrat, is today one of the clearest examples of architectural syncretism in the region.
Curious Fact: The church of Chinchero is known as the 'Sistine Chapel of the Andes'. Its interior is completely covered in baroque murals that mix Catholic iconography with Andean symbols, created to evangelize the native population using a visual language they could understand.
The Rebellion of Tupac Amaru II
In the 18th century, Chinchero was the setting for a crucial episode during the rebellion of Tupac Amaru II (1780-1781). The curaca (indigenous leader) of Chinchero, Mateo Pumacahua, remained loyal to the Spanish crown and was a decisive figure in the defeat of the rebel forces. In the Chinchero church, there is a famous mural that symbolizes this event: a puma (Pumacahua) defeating a serpent (Amaru), which represents the triumph of the local leader over Túpac Amaru.

What to do in Chinchero?: Tourist Attractions

Chinchero was an important urban center whose main center was located where the church is today, in its surroundings there are formidable walls of assembled polyhedrons that form retaining walls giving shape to the platforms, we can also see large rooms with windows, niches, doors and accesses.

The current main square, where the Sunday fairs are held, concludes with an Inca wall on the eastern side, which has 12 niches, each 2m high and 1.50m wide. This wall, in turn, serves as a facing and containment for another plaza that acts as an atrium in front of the Church.

Also in the area we find the remains of three shrines called Titiqaqa, Pumaqaqa, Chincana; which are huge outcrops of limestone rock carefully carved by the ancient Peruvians in the form of seats, stairways, cupboards and canals. There is a group of platforms built obeying the conformation of the terrain.

Awana Cancha
The so-called awana canchas or translated into Spanish, centers where weaving, are textile production factories in which the inhabitants grouped into business groups explain to tourists the entire production process of the textiles for which they are famous, as well as offering them for sale if they become to the taste of the visitor. These have become very important economic and development engines not only for the town of Chinchero but also for many other places with a tourist influx such as P'isaq, and other communities in which experiential tourism is practiced.
Chinchero site museum
It is located in the district square, stocked with the pieces rescued from the archaeological site of the same name, it exhibits in another of its rooms old pieces for agricultural use, as well as their typical clothing as well as important pieces of art by prominent artists from the Cusco school.
Chinchero colonial church
Built on the Inca foundations of a temple, belonging to the Inca Tupac Yupanqui, the church began to be built in 1572 as part of the process of indigenous reductions and was completed around 1607, being called the Church of Our Lady of Mon Serrat, it was later decorated with, frescoes among which stand out that of Our Lady of Mon Serrat and the puma defeating the snake that represents the battle of Pumacahua and Tupac Amaru II, as well as paintings belonging to Diego Quispe Ttito and Francisco Chillihuani, great exponents of the Cusqueña school of painting. Finally, the baroque-style altar adorned with gold leaf also stands out.
Archeological site
In which the group of platforms that are built in a northerly direction on the hill where the current church of the Virgin of the Nativity was also built later stands out, all around two main squares known as capellanpampa and town square. In the whole complex, the ten trapezoidal niches that possibly had ritual use stand out, in addition to the magnificent drainage system that works to this day and the urban design that interconnects the entire town through streets and passageways.
Racchi viewpoint
This viewpoint located about 5 minutes from the town center itself, offers one of the most beautiful views you will find of the sacred valley, the Vilcanota mountain range and all the sacred mountains that surround them. Do not forget to make a stop at this magnificent place on the route that you will follow towards the sacred valley or Machupicchu itself.
Chinchero Fair
Sunday fair in which ancestral trade practices are still carried out, such as barter. These are also adorned with the presence of the varayoq or chiefs of each community.

Textile Culture and Tradition

Chinchero is recognized internationally as one of the most important textile craft centers in the Cusco region. Its communities have preserved the ancient techniques of weaving and dyeing, which are passed down from generation to generation. Visitors can observe the complete process, from the spinning of alpaca and sheep wool to the dyeing with natural dyes (obtained from plants, insects, and minerals) and the weaving on backstrap looms.

This tradition is the pillar of the famous Chinchero Sunday Fair. Every Sunday, the main square transforms into a vibrant market where community members from the region gather to sell their textiles, agricultural products, and crafts. A notable feature of this market is the persistence of trueque (exchange of products without money), which is still practiced among the locals. The fair also features the presence of the Varayoq, the leaders of the 12 communities of the district, who attend with their traditional outfits and staffs of command.

Traditional Attire

The colorful clothing that is considered traditional in Chinchero today has a complex historical origin. After the defeat of the rebellion of Tupac Amaru II (1780-1781), the Spanish crown imposed new clothing laws to differentiate and control the different indigenous communities, based in part on European peasant outfits. The Andean peoples adopted these styles, but merged them with elements and symbols from their own culture, resulting in the attire that is used today.

Agriculture and Climate

Agriculture: The pampa of Chinchero is a high-altitude agricultural area. Its fertile lands are ideal for growing Andean tubers, being an important producer of potatoes, ollucos, and oca, as well as grains like fava beans, barley, and wheat, which are the base of the local economy.
Climate and Altitude: The climate of Chinchero is high mountain, determined by its altitude of 3,762 msnm (significantly higher and colder than Cusco). It follows the two Andean seasons: the dry (April-October) with sunny days and freezing nights (minimums that can drop to -6°C), and the rainy (November-March). The average maximum temperature is around 18°C, but the wind chill is generally cold due to the wind.

Nearby Natural Attractions

Besides its archaeology and culture, Chinchero is the starting point for visiting two important lagoons:

Piuray Lagoon: It is the largest in the area, with a perimeter of almost 9 kilometers and a depth of up to 50 meters. It is a vital water source, as it supplies a large part of the city of Cusco.
Huaypo Lagoon: A smaller and quieter lagoon, located on the border with the province of Anta, which offers a puna landscape and is a place for bird watching.
Views of the Apus: Due to its location on the high plateau, Chinchero offers panoramic views of the sacred snowy mountains (Apus) that dominate the Sacred Valley, such as Veronica, Salkantay, Pitusiray, and Sawasiray.

Main Festivities

Chinchero's calendar is marked by important celebrations that merge the Catholic faith with Andean traditions. The most notable festivities include the celebration of la Cruz Velacuy (Vigil of the Cross) in May, Corpus Christi and el Señor de Qoyllorit'i (in June, variable dates) and la Natividad de la Virgen (September 8).

When it is best to visit Chinchero?

To visit chinchero, just take into account that in the amount you arrive at the place, you can find everything you want to see, that is, within business hours (09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m.) or outside of them if you want make a more private visit.

Frequent questions:

How did Chinchero originate?

Its history officially begins with its mention in Spanish chronicles that narrate the struggle of an Inca people with the Ayarmacas tribe that owned this territory.

In the year 1572, Viceroy Toledo would build a Christian temple as part of the plan for indigenous reductions that would allow better control of the aboriginal settlements. This entire area was declared a national heritage site on December 28, 1972.

Officially, it was created on September 9, 1905 by Law No. 59 given in the government of President José Pardo y Barreda.

Who ordered the construction of Chinchero?

According to history, Chinchero was the resting place of the Inca Túpac Yupanqui, perhaps because of its strategic position that communicated Cusco, Yucay and Pumamarca and Machu Picchu. He ordered the construction of beautiful palaces for his personal use and that of his panaca.

His constructions present the typical doors or windows that are wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, which was a characteristic of Inca architecture.

Chinchero culture still endures

Chinchero is one of the few places where it seems that time does not pass, since the Inca traditions and culture still persist.

The people who live in Chinchero are of Inca blood and the predominant language is Quechua.

Best Tours in Peru

Many are the routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.