Cartographies of heritage routes: networks and territorial reconfigurations of the Qhapaq Ñan – Andean road system

Purpose This study provides a territorial characterization of the Qhapaq Ñan through a multiscale cartographic analysis of its historical and contemporary routes, comparing the Inca road system with the present-day heritage network recognized within Peruvian territory. The Qhapaq Ñan was the largest infrastructure in pre-Columbian America, consolidated by the Incas in the 15th century to integrate an extensive territory in South America. Its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 reflects the continued use of many of its segments by rural Andean communities. Design/methodology/approach A territorial and multiscalar approach is employed to examine the Qhapaq Ñan as a system that continues to shape socio-spatial dynamics in the Andean region. This study draws on open-access georeferenced data from SIGDA (Geographic Information System of Archaeology), complemented by historical scholarship and official technical documentation produced by the Peruvian state. Findings The contemporary Qhapaq Ñan is a physically discontinuous road network. The preserved stretches form a fragmented whole due to historical processes of destruction of the original layout. The system no longer retains its capillary territorial model, which once articulated settlements with a distant imperial center. Nonetheless, despite the loss of macro-regional continuity, the Qhapaq Ñan remains tangible, albeit sectorized, manifesting through localized stretches and nodes that preserve functional and symbolic relevance. Originality/value While most academic studies conceptualize the Qhapaq Ñan primarily as an archaeological asset, this article addresses a gap by approaching it as a system of routes, emphasizing its spatial inscription and contemporary relevance within the Andean landscape.