Maras is a Peruvian town, capital of the district of the same name located in the province of Urubamba in the department of Cuzco. It is located at 3300 meters above sea level on a plain that in the past was a plateau.
The town was founded in colonial times by Pedro Ortiz de Orué. Maras was occupied when the citizens of Cuzco withdrew from the Inca palaces in Cuzco and had to migrate to other small towns such as Mara and Sebastian. In the past Maras was a very important town, so much so that it was declared “Villa de San Francisco de Asis” (Villa: town that brings benefits). However, today it is an isolated town and lacks modern life.
In the main square of the town (Plaza de Armas) there is a monument with a set of statues representing a couple of peasants and a mule. The pedestal of the monument contains images of the three main tourist attractions of the community: the ruins of Moray, the colonial church of San Francisco and the salt mines of Maras.