Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca site located 2,430 meters (7,970 ft) above sea level. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of Inca civilization. The Incas built the estate around 1450, but abandoned it a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest.
When you entered the site, you are immediately struck by the staggering views of the ruins as you moved along the terraces. We spent 3 hours visiting temple of the sun, temple of the moon, several of the 16 fountains (including the 1st), Inca's house, temple of the condor (and walked the subterranean route out), the astronomical observatory, temple of 3 windows, temple zone, the quarry, and some storage areas. Next day we hiked to the Sun Gate which is at the end of the Inca trail.
We discovered that the Incas had one room houses, even the “king”. It was primarily for sleeping, so there was a space at one end that was about ⅓ of the room that was where the bed was. The wall cutouts (they look like bricked up windows) were essentially shelves for storage, although one or two were for worship items. Machu Picchu was built over 4 generations of kings and was left almost completed when the Spanish conquered the Inca people. Only a fraction of the terraces have been cleared, the top and the bottom so visitors can get an idea how extensive the terracing is. The unfinished temple next to the “temple of the three windows” had some seismic researchers investigate how the Incas built this and other structures, since Machu Picchu is built on or near 4 fault lines. The discovered that rollers had been installed under the walls to make them more resistant to earthquakes, a technique that large building in Japan and California currently use to keep them from being knocked down by large earthquakes. Next to this temple is a rock in the shape of the southern cross that points to the cardinal compass points. If you follow the lines along those points they intersect visible mountain peaks. Some believe this was the reason Machu Picchu was built by the Inca in such a seismically unstable area. How this fits into their cultural beliefs no one knows. Also the astronomical observatory has a stone carved precisely at 13 degrees, and on midday of the solstices it throws no shadow. What is more intriguing is that it is carved in the spire that once was the mountain peak that sat at the center of Machu Picchu, so the city was essentially built around it.
The hike to the Sun Gate is 2 ½ hour walk. It was 1 hour 20 minutes up and about 1 hour down, with about a 10 to 20 minute stop at the sun gate which is the end of the Inca trail. It was a grueling uphill climb on a rocky path with lots of stone steps. Along the way there was a sacred rock as indicated by the 3 sets of walls in front of the rock. The halfway point has a Inca structure that was probably a guard house. All along the way there were beautiful view of the mountains and Machu Picchu when it was not blocked by trees. From the sun gate you see saw Machu Picchu as the Inca probably saw it over 700 years ago. You could clearly see where the terraces began well below Machu Picchu proper. It was a magnificent site. Our guide (Freddy) showed us a small cave that was discovered as a tomb of the Inca guards It was a very tight squeeze for me to get in and the cave could only fit two people.
Read MoreWhen you entered the site, you are immediately struck by the staggering views of the ruins as you moved along the terraces. We spent 3 hours visiting temple of the sun, temple of the moon, several of the 16 fountains (including the 1st), Inca's house, temple of the condor (and walked the subterranean route out), the astronomical observatory, temple of 3 windows, temple zone, the quarry, and some storage areas. Next day we hiked to the Sun Gate which is at the end of the Inca trail.
We discovered that the Incas had one room houses, even the “king”. It was primarily for sleeping, so there was a space at one end that was about ⅓ of the room that was where the bed was. The wall cutouts (they look like bricked up windows) were essentially shelves for storage, although one or two were for worship items. Machu Picchu was built over 4 generations of kings and was left almost completed when the Spanish conquered the Inca people. Only a fraction of the terraces have been cleared, the top and the bottom so visitors can get an idea how extensive the terracing is. The unfinished temple next to the “temple of the three windows” had some seismic researchers investigate how the Incas built this and other structures, since Machu Picchu is built on or near 4 fault lines. The discovered that rollers had been installed under the walls to make them more resistant to earthquakes, a technique that large building in Japan and California currently use to keep them from being knocked down by large earthquakes. Next to this temple is a rock in the shape of the southern cross that points to the cardinal compass points. If you follow the lines along those points they intersect visible mountain peaks. Some believe this was the reason Machu Picchu was built by the Inca in such a seismically unstable area. How this fits into their cultural beliefs no one knows. Also the astronomical observatory has a stone carved precisely at 13 degrees, and on midday of the solstices it throws no shadow. What is more intriguing is that it is carved in the spire that once was the mountain peak that sat at the center of Machu Picchu, so the city was essentially built around it.
The hike to the Sun Gate is 2 ½ hour walk. It was 1 hour 20 minutes up and about 1 hour down, with about a 10 to 20 minute stop at the sun gate which is the end of the Inca trail. It was a grueling uphill climb on a rocky path with lots of stone steps. Along the way there was a sacred rock as indicated by the 3 sets of walls in front of the rock. The halfway point has a Inca structure that was probably a guard house. All along the way there were beautiful view of the mountains and Machu Picchu when it was not blocked by trees. From the sun gate you see saw Machu Picchu as the Inca probably saw it over 700 years ago. You could clearly see where the terraces began well below Machu Picchu proper. It was a magnificent site. Our guide (Freddy) showed us a small cave that was discovered as a tomb of the Inca guards It was a very tight squeeze for me to get in and the cave could only fit two people.
