Peru began celebrations Thursday for the 100th anniversary of the “discovery” of the Inca citadel Machu Picchu with musical shows and light displays at the site for some 200 guests, including President Alan Garcia.
During the day, dances were performed in the streets of Cuzco, the starting-off point for the thousands of tourists that visit Machu Picchu every year. The dances included waca waca, danzaq, paucartampus, qhapac negro, among others, daily La Republica reported.
Cuzco’s regional government also organized painting and photography exhibitions in the San Francisco and Espinar plazas.
In the evening, guests attended a show at the citadel that began with a traditional ceremony called Tinkay, in addition to a light show and performance by the Andean Symphony Orchestra of Cusco.
The celebrations mark the anniversary of American historian and explorer Hiram Bingham’s rediscovery in 1911 of Machu Picchu.
Activities will be held until July 9 and include a gastronomy festival, cultural contests and the acknowledgement of local citizens. One of the key members of the organizing committee, led by Ricardo Vega Llona, is film director Lucho Llosa.
The ancient ruins are today Peru’s top tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year and provides a large boost to Peru’s economy.
