The Municipal Palace of Cusco, the House of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, and the Municipal Theater have been granted the UNESCO Blue Shield, an international emblem that enables the protection and conservation of the monumental and architectural heritage in the high-Andean city of Cusco.
Cusco’s municipal authorities unveiled the plaques after reporting that a series of formalities were completed before the person in charge of the Southern Section of the Peruvian Committee of the Blue Shield, noting that such distinction was possible because of the great historical value of the residences.
The blue shield is the internationally-recognized symbol to mark renowned, historical, and archaeological monuments that should be protected in the event of armed conflict and natural disasters, as well as supported in future crisis situations.
The emblem has its origins in the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
Cusco Mayor Victor Boluarte —together with members of the International Relations, Protocol, and Bicentennial Commission— highlighted the importance of the placement of these emblems.
Nomenclature
“A nomenclature is used at the international level, which are part of the properties considered as Material Cultural Heritage of Humanity, because they are located in a city under this list,” he pointed out.
“So, these buildings carry a special connotation within this set of properties that are part of our historical and architectural legacy,” Boluarte added.
The Municipal Palace is located at Regocijo Plaza, half a block away from Cusco’s Main Square, while the House of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and the Municipal Theater are situated on San Bernardo and Marara streets.