Photo exhibit highlights trail system of ancient Inca Empire

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The Inca Road, also known as Qhapaq Nan, represents the extensive communication, trade and defense network that once stretched over 30,000 kilometers connecting various parts of the Inca Empire.

The Embassy of Peru in Korea is holding a photo exhibition titled "Qhapaq Nan: The Great Inca Road," showcasing the majesty of the spine of the Inca Empire at Gallery Banditrazos in northeastern Seoul's Seongbuk District until Aug. 19, celebrating the cultural ties between Korea and Peru as the two countries commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations as well as the 202nd anniversary of Peru's independence.

Peruvian Ambassador to Korea Paul Duclos emphasized the importance of the Qhapaq Nan in understanding Peruvian history.

"To know this extensive network of communications, in the difficult Peruvian geography crossed by the Andes, is to understand much of the evolution of our history and especially the magnitude of our Andean heritage," Duclos said during the opening ceremony of the exhibition, July 30.

This exhibition offers visitors a chance to walk through time and explore the beauty and complexity of this ancient trail system through carefully curated photographs.

The ambassador explained the complexity of the Inca Road that once intertwined the vast expanses of the Inca Empire.

"This road is a heritage built over many centuries of Andean civilization and was later articulated by the Incas as part of an integrating political project called Tawantinsuyu. Along its 5,000-kilometer stretch are amazing archaeological sites and incredible natural beauty surrounded by unique flora and fauna as you will see in these photos," he said.

Duclos also related the Andean road system to Koreans' love of mountain climbing.

"We believe that this exhibition will be of great interest in a country like Korea, where trekking or hiking is also a widespread practice. Similarly, we seek to disseminate to the Korean population the many opportunities for adventure trekking in our country to sites of such historical value as Machu Picchu or Choquequirao," he said.

The Qhapaq Nan Andean road system was inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014, jointly presented by Peru with other Andean countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador.

The road system consists of four main routes originating from Cusco's central square, connected to several lower hierarchy networks, creating linkages and cross-connections, including 137 component areas and 308 associated archaeological sites.

The UNESCO recognized Qhapaq Nan's unique and complex combination of engineering mastery, cultural heritage, integration of diverse geographical terrains and living traditions that continue to influence Andean communities today.

The exhibit is an initiative of the Peruvian Embassy, aimed at marking over the course of the year the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Peru. As part of its global circumnavigation, the Peruvian Navy's sailing ship, BAP Union, will visit Busan in September.