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Machu Picchu Architecture

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.

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Machu Picchu History

Machu Picchu was built around AD1460 by Inca Pachacuti.The Spaniards never found Machu Picchu, so unlike other cities in the Inca Civilization, it was never destroyed or changed. In 1911 Hiram Bingham, an American explorer, accidentally discovered Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas”.

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Interesting facts about Machu Picchu

Interesting facts about the lost city of Machu Picchu.

Andes or Sierra »

The Andean Mountain Range or Sierra

The Peruvian Andes provide the most spectacular views of snow capped mountains and glaciers in the region as it has the largest concentration of them. venerated and respected them, to them they were sacred, and decided to build surrounded by those breathtaking snow peaks. This region guards the spirit of Peru, its heritage and the traditions of that make up what Peru is today. The sierra is mostly inhabited by native people descendants of the , they have kept many of their traditions and their way of life. …

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Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was the most magnificent community the Incas built, its name means “Old Mountain” in Quechua.

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Why was Machu Picchu built?

Indeed, there must have been a good reason to justify the laborious construction of this magic city in such a challenging land. Since did not have a written language the real purpose for the building of Machu Picchu is not clear, it remains a mystery and is open to speculation. There are many theories but few among the most plausible. The most common conclusion from experts on Inca history and archeologists is that it was built first and foremost as a sacred center to worship natural resources, deities and …

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Machu Picchu Archeological Sites

The Temple of the Sun also known as the Torreon may have served as a primitive solar observatory. It was dedicated to their . Enclosed by a semicircular wall, the only one in , the room contains a stone altar and windows strategically placed to observe astronomical events. Two windows are aligned to the stone altar, which is located at the center of the room. According to how it catches the sun’s rays it signals the winter and summer solstices, the longest and shortest days of the year.
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Temple of the …

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Sectors in Machu Picchu

The city is divided into two sectors, at the northern part was the urban sector and at the south the agricultural sector. These sectors were constructed on a natural division due to a geological fault.
Agricultural Sector
As the only fertile soil in the area the agricultural sector was built in the southeastern part of the city. Built on the side of the mountain artificial agricultural terraces or andenes increased the area available for cultivation. To reduce the erosion of the land the terraces were built in two levels, the upper level …

Inca Civilization »

Inca Roads and Chasquis

The Incas were magnificent engineers, they built the most elaborate network of roads and bridges of any ancient culture. The success of its empire was partly due to being able to reach and control each corner of their territory. Inca engineers used and improved roads left by earlier cultures such as the , and among others.
The Incas built more than 14,000 miles/22,530 km of paved roads. There were two main roads, both connected the territory north to south extending along the and another along the. Both roads …

Inca Civilization »

Cusco, the City of the Puma

The name Cusco comes from the Aymara language qusqu wanka that means “rock of the owl”. According to one the , the myth of the Ayar brothers, Ayar Auca became an owl and flew to the location where they would settle to create the capital of the new empire, he converted into a rock to mark the chosen site.
Inca Manco Capac was the founder of the . The inner city of Cusco was laid out in the shape of a puma whose head was the fortress of Sacsahuaman. His body …