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Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu one of the Seven Wonders of the World is the most famous Incan city. It is situated to 130 Km at northeast of Cusco city in Peru. Its name means “Old Peak” in Quechua (the Incan language).The archeological complex is located to 2045 meters over sea level in the Urubamba province. The city covers 13 squares Km and is composed by many cultivation terraces (Andenes) which are constructed around a center square. All buildings are connected themselves by a great number of stairs. The city is divided into three areas: agricultural, urban and religious.
There are around 150 buildings in the complex; most of them have only a room and they are distributed around of inside patios. The great structures were used to celebrate religious ceremonies. Most of the structures are built of big granite blocks, which were cut using bronze or stone tools and smoothed with sand.
The houses of the city had steep thatched roofs and trapezoidal doors. The main feature of the amazing Incan architectural style is that the blocks fit together perfectly without mortar, although most of the blocks are different sizes and forms. In Machu Picchu, it can find blocks with until 30 angles. Besides, the Incas never used the wheel in any practical manner. How they moved and placed enormous blocks of stones is a mystery; but it believes that they used thousands of men to push the stones as well as inclined planes.
The city was also used as agricultural center; the Incas planted in the numerous cultivation terraces several varieties of plants like potatoes, maize, yuca or coca (the sacred leave of the Tawantinsuyo). This was possible thanks to the advanced terracing and irrigations techniques that they used to reduce the erosion and increase the land available for cultivation.
Machu Picchu was also an astronomical observatory. The “Intihuatana” (“for tying the sun" in Quechua) a solar watch is a good example of it. The “Intihuatana” is a magnificent work of carving granite which t is located near the Temple of the Sun and the Room of the Three Windows. These three structures compose the sacred district of the city.
Another important building in the Incan city is the Temple of the Moon, which is located at the top of the Huayna Picchu the largest peak behind the city. There, it can find also many others ceremonial buildings.
Machu Picchu is surrounded by impressive mountains as well as abundant fauna and vegetation. Because of its unique location and geological features, the Incas chose this place to build this magnificent city. It is said that the silhouette of the mountain range behind the city represents the face of a man looking to the sky, whose nose is the largest peak Huayna Picchu. Machu Picchu represents the perfect integration of the architecture into the landscape.
It believes that about 1200 people lived in Machu Picchu, most of them priests, women, and children who spent their time on farm and religious tasks.
The city was studied for first time by Hiram Bingham (an American explorer of the Yale University) in 1911. Bingham believed that Machu Picchu was the last refuge of the Incas after the Spanish invasion; but he was wrong; since, today we know that this place was the city of Vilcabamba.
The Spanish invaders did not know Machu Picchu; because the city was abandoned before their arrival. The scientists believe that the city was constructed around 1450 in the reign of Pachacuteq and it would have been an Incan settlement constructed to control the economy of the conquered regions in the “Antisuyo” (the Incan name o the jungle).
Some of the main buildings and places in the city are:
Huayna Picchu
This is the highest mountain behind the city. At the top of this mountain is the Temple of the Moon and many others religious structures. It takes around one hour to arrive at the top of the Huayna Picchu.
The Sacred Plaza
It is one of landmarks of the city, it is surrounded by several religious structures and there are many cultivation terraces bellow it. From here there is an amazing view of the mountains and the river running below.
Royal Tomb
It is a structure beautifully carved into a natural cave. Inside this building, it can find some niches and a wonderful carved altar.
The Hut of the Caretaker
It is one of the few buildings in Machu Picchu, which still has roof. This is not the original roof, but it was restored to show to the visitors the style of the Incan ceilings. Behind the building, there is a great stone which would have been used for mummification process. This is the first building that you will see when you entering into the city.
Temple of the Three Windows
It is located in the religious zone near the Intihuatana and the Sun’s Temple. It owes its name to the three trapezoidal windows located on the same wall.
Temple of the Sun
This temple is the only circular structure in the city and one of the few Incan structures with this feature. It is forbidden to enter into this temple, but it can get a great view from the top.
Intihuatana (Solar Clock)
It is one of the most famous Incan sculptures. It was a device that the Incas used to predict the celestial events like solstices using the angles of the rock and track the seasons. During the Inca Empire there had many astronomical observatories like this; but they were savagely destroyed by the Spanish invaders.
Sacristy
Inside this building there are several carving niches (known as “Ornacinas”) which were used to store ceremonial items. The entry is flanked by two large and impressive carving stones.
Prison Group
It is set of small buildings where some people believe that the prisoners were imprisoned. But this theory is not probed. Outside this hole, there is an amazing carving of a Condor.
House of the High Priest
It is located near the main temple and is one of the most solid structures in the city. Unlike the two temples in the sacred square, this building still retains its 4 walls.
Central Square
It is a big green area which separates the religious zone from the urban area. Here, you can find the one tree in the archeological complex.
Inti Punku
Its name means “Sun’s gate” and is located back the way you come from the Inca trail. It is a great point to photo shoot.
Cemetery
In this place were founded 135 mummies, most of them women who were chosen to worship the gods in the Sacred city.
Machu Picchu is the symbol of the Andean culture; therefore it was declared Human heritage by UNESCO in 1983. Today it is the greatest tourist attraction in South America and one of the greatest in the World. Tourists can reach Machu Picchu by railway to the town of Aguas Calientes, at the base of the mountain, or hiking by the Inca Trail (35 Km or 20 miles approximately), which winds through protected land. Admission costs $20.
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