The Inca capital city, considered the navel of the world, was Cusco. The name reflects the city’s role as the political, religious, and symbolic center of the Inca Empire.
Cusco lies in the Peruvian Andes at roughly 3,400 meters above sea level. In Inca tradition, it was the center of Tawantinsuyu, the empire’s “four regions,” and its name is commonly connected with the Quechua word for “navel” or “center.” The city was laid out around sacred and administrative spaces, including the Coricancha, the major temple of the Sun.
Machu Picchu was an important royal and ceremonial site, but it was not the imperial capital. Lima is a Spanish colonial capital founded on the coast, while Quito was an important northern city but not the Inca capital. Spanish forces captured Cusco in the 16th century, and much of the colonial city was built over Inca foundations.