The city that served as the capital of the Inca Empire was Cusco (also spelled Cuzco). Located in present-day Peru, Cusco was not only the political and administrative heart of the Inca Empire but also of significant cultural and religious importance. The city was strategically situated in the Andes mountains and served as the nexus for extensive network roads that facilitated trade and communication across the vast empire. It was also home to impressive architectural achievements, such as the Sacsayhuamán fortress and numerous temples, reflecting the Inca's advanced engineering skills and their reverence for the deities they worshipped.