Mayor Daniel Estrada and the Plaza de Armas of Cuzco, Peru

Between 1984–86 and 1990–95, Mayor Daniel Estrada conducted an ideologically driven public works and development project in Cuzco, Peru, former capital of the Inca empire. This paper focuses on Estrada’s unfulfilled plan to remove a decorative late nineteenth century European-style fountain in the center of the Plaza de Armas and replace it with a new sculpture that would refer to the Incas. The problems Estrada encountered raise important issues in the field of heritage management such as the role of international conventions, the nature of authenticity, and discordant multiple stakeholders. The paper also considers the next mayor’s attempt to reveal the actual Inca archaeological presence in the center of the plaza and why this effort was stymied. Comparison is made to Mexico City’s embrace of the Aztec remains discovered in its main plaza. The paper concludes with a discussion of Cuzco’s significance for the study and practice of heritage management in historic cities.