UNESCO Heritage Sites »

The Nazca Lines are an exceptional collection of geoglyphs in the southern desert of Peru. There are about 300 figures among them including geometric shapes, animal like figures, straight continuous lines, humans and plants. The exceptionality of these geoglyphs rest in the fact that they can only be seen from the air.

Read the full story »
Inca Civilization

The Inca civilization was the largest Pre-Columbian civilization in the Americas and Cusco was its capital. The best kept example of its architecture is Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

The Sacred City is one of the most significant archeological sites left by the Incas

Culture

Fascinating culture and Inca heritage of this beautiful country

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. It occupies an important place in Inca mythology.

Animals of Peru

Animals in Peru have specialized and adapted to the conditions of its geography. At higher altitude levels, few animals and plants can survive because of the lack of oxygen.

Home » Archive by Tags

Articles tagged with: Inca Architecture

Achievements of the Incas

Inca medicine

.

The Incas were magnificent engineers. They built a system of roads and bridges across the roughest terrains of the . Through their and the most advanced centralized economy, the Incas …

Inca Architecture

Coricancha and Santo Domingo

It is commonly questioned as to how the were able to develop such an exquisite architecture without the use of the wheel and modern tools. Their buildings have withstood …

Machu Picchu Architecture

Machu Picchu View

Inca architecture is most known for its polygonal stones used in many religious buildings. One stone found in a temple wall in Machu Picchu is estimated to have at least 33 corners. Machu Picchu has about 200 buildings that are considered architectural wonders. These buildings were made of individually shaped pieces of carved gray granite stone that fitted perfectly together.

Cusco

Woman and llama walk past Spanish homes built on top of Incan walls

It is estimated that around 1.5 million tourists visit Cusco every year, and the city of Cusco have become the main tourist attractions in Peru and one of the …

Machu Picchu

Llama observing Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was the most magnificent community the Incas built, its name means “Old Mountain” in Quechua. It is believed that Machu Picchu was built around AD1460 by Inca Pachacutec. In 1983 UNESCO added Machu Picchu to its list of World Heritage Sites. Machu Picchu was re discovered in 1911 by HIram Bingham, an American explorer who was searching for Vilcabamba, the last resting place of the Incas. His project was funded by Yale University and National Geographic Society.

Machu Picchu Archaeological Sites

Citadel of Machu Picchu

As a sacred place a lot of planning was put into its construction; priests, architects and engineers studied how the light of the sun and the moon radiated to each mountain and how the stars aligned to each building. Meticulous architectural and engineering planning was required in order to meet religious standards. Lets not forget that Machu Picchu is located in semi tropical land or highland jungle where rain can be intense and earthquakes frequent. Inca engineers had the knowledge to erect anti seismic buildings and ensure at the same time that the land would not erode.

Sectors in Machu Picchu

Agricultural terraces in Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is divided into two sectors, at the northern part was the urban sector and at the southern the agricultural sector. These sectors were constructed on a natural division …

Cusco, the City of the Puma

Cusco, city puma

The name Cusco comes from the Aymara language qusqu wanka that means “rock of the owl”. According to one of the , the myth of the Ayar brothers, Ayar Auca …