It is a mystical place, a monument to divinity, where
people can feel that they are a creation of God. The
high sense of spirituality that inhabits this place
seems to transport its visitors to a place where
everything "in an unimaginable way" is possible.
It is a place where strange forces of nature allow
the individuals to reach an incomparable cosmic state, a
state that can only be experimented in Machu Picchu.
It is one of the most popular archaeological sites of
the world, and therefore, the most visited attraction in
Peru.
The Citadel of Machu Picchu (in Quechua language "Old
Mountain") is known throughout the world for its amazing
ruins and its unusual location on a high mountain
overlooking the mighty currents of the Urubamba
river.
Even today nobody has been able to solve the mystery
how the builders and designers managed to transport the
huge blocks of limestone to the top of the mountain
required for the construction of the city.
Probably built during the 15th century in a very
difficult location, it is the greatest achievement of
the Incas architects due to the intelligence and dare
demonstrated by their design. It has an extent of 13
sq/km and its main functions were military and
religious. It used to be surrounded by an outer wall
with a height of 6.00 m. and a width of 1.80 m. and it
is estimated that it was inhabited by 10000 people.
Built of limestone (the outer and inner walls), wood
(doors and frames), and ceilings made of straw.
Machu Picchu is located 2300 meters above sea level
(7546 ft.), at 112 km. (70 miles) from Cusco,
in the valley of Urubamba in the lowest part of the Sacred
Valley of the Incas in a area of direct access to
the upper jungle. Without doubt, Machu Picchu was part
of a very big complex of fortresses which defended the
Andean lands in Sacred valley of any assault from native
people out of the jungle.
Having Huayna Picchu as a background
they divided Machu Picchu in four sectors. Northwest is
located the area that was probably used for the main
religious purposes, that includes a Plaza named by Hiram
Bingham as "Sacred Plaza", also the temple of the "Three
Windows", "The Sacred Temple", the "Priests Mansion",
and the "Intihuatana" that is a large block of limestone
used during Inca ceremonies.
The "Intihuatana" (in Quechua = place where the sun
is bonded) is a solar observatory that allowed the Incas
to keep track of the seasons of the year and the flow of
time based on the shadows caused by the sun over the
stone.
The largest residences are located on the northeast
of the complex. The most luxurious residences and also a
watch tower are located on the southwest of the complex
and therefore it is assumed that this part of the
Citadel was probably the heart of all the urban
activities.
To the southeast of the complex are located the
smallest and most humble of the buildings built around
very narrow streets, close to numerous terraces
constructed for agricultural purposes as denoted by the
existence of a very complex aqueduct system in this
area. In the lowest part of the terraces is a cemetery,
where during a search were discovered 135 skeletons and
109 of them were identified as females. This fact has
allowed historians and archeologists to believe that
Machu Picchu's inhabitants were mostly females that
could have been the chosen ones of the Inca, fleeing
from Cusco when it was overrun by the Conquerors of
Spain and seeking refuge in Machu Picchu that, by the
way, was never discovered by the Spaniards.
Historic
Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
At 2,430 meters above sea level, on a mountain site
of extraordinary beauty, in the middle of a tropical
mountain forest, Machu Picchu was probably the most
amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height,
with its giant walls, terraces and ramps, which appear
as though they have been cut naturally in the continuous
rock escarpments. The natural setting on the eastern
slope of the Andes encompasses the upper Amazon basin
with its rich diversity of species.
The minimum recommended time to visit Machu Picchu
is one day.
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