Visiting Pisac village and craft market

From the ruins, we drove down the mountain to visit the town of Pisac itself.

The modern town of Písac was built in the valley below the ruins of the Inca complex by Viceroy Toledo during the 1570s.

The first modern description of the Pisac occurred in the late 19th century when Ephraim George Squier (1821-1888), the US Commissioner to Peru visited Pisac and left a detailed description of the Inca ruins in his 1877 book Peru - Incidents of Travel and Exploration in the Land of the Incas.

Today, Pisac is a thriving town that earns its income from tourism and agriculture.  It is a pretty town with a permanent craft market that spills over into the main square, the Plaza de Armas, every Sunday.  This square is beautifully decorated with centuries-old trees.  It has narrow cobbled streets leading off it in every direction.  In the middle of the square stands the colonial church of San Pedro Apóstol de Pisac.

Many local ladies wear traditional dress.  Some of them sit in the streets, weaving beautiful bags, cushion covers, and other items.  I resisted the temptation to buy anything, but I could have spent an awful lot longer here just exploring the streets and alleyways.Read more