Machu Picchu Inca Archaeological Site Reviews (Cusco, Peru)

The culmination of our guided visits of Inca Sites

Nottingham, England

September 27, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo A site where just a tiny amount of imagination transports us to a city at the height of the Inca Empire when temples, terraces, houses, palaces, towers, fountains and staircases were home to a population of about 1000. For many centuries this was a ...Read more A site where just a tiny amount of imagination transports us to a city at the height of the Inca Empire when temples, terraces, houses, palaces, towers, fountains and staircases were home to a population of about 1000.

For many centuries this was a site hidden, buried in the jungle, overgrown since the Incas deliberately abandoned the city, although it is not known when or why this happened.

The Spanish conquistadors never found Machu Picchu to loot or destroy and it was the American explorer Hiram Bingham who stumbled on the Inca citadel in 1911. At the time the city had almost returned to the original vegetation but a slow and often painful archaeological project from Yale University set about unearthing this stunning and now iconic site.

Entrance to the site was through a small complex and its narrow passage ways made it impossible for more than one person to enter at a time, an obvious and well constructed defence strategy. But having manoeuvred this entrance the whole site opened up in front of us. The emotion of the visitors was almost electric as the gasps of admiration and excitement rippled through our small party (four of us). This was the wow factor plus. Unbelievably believable. A magic site as the city of Machu Picchu emerged from the mist. The whole setting was just as I’d hoped it would be. Mystical, fascinating, awe inspiring, incredible ...... and any other superlative that you can muster.
All we’ve heard about earlier in respect of Inca design is laid out in front of us. The superbly constructed terracing on the steep hills; neatly planned streets; public building; and high status accommodation.

Our tour takes us to the key sights on this site: the waterfalls, storage buildings, agricultural terraces, temples, astronomy observation points, ceremonial places, and public plazas. Our guide had stories about every point of our tour. One of the most fascinating debates, in my opinion, was the one about the reason that the site was abandoned. There are numerous theories, but the important factor to make note of is that there were very few burials detected on the site. This fact alone pointed to the Incas leaving the city of their own volition. It is felt highly unlikely that disease ravaged the population because there is no sign of large scale burials and as the conquistadors did not find the city it is also believed unlikely that the Incas were fleeing the invaders. So just check out the sun temple and there is clear sign of fire damage and it is strongly suggested that a bolt of lightning hit this holy place causing significant structural damage (this is clearly evident today) and fire soon followed. The Incas would have seen this as the "wrath of the Gods" and as their Gods were displeased with them they felt no choice but to abandon their holy place. This theory sounded good to me and I happily signed up for this interpretation of the Inca’s abandonment of Machu Picchu.
We stand at the Intihuatana (Hitching Post of the Sun), which has been cordoned off since it was chipped by the makers of a television commercial when they dropped a piece of equipment a on it. Weird that this modern story should take precedence over tales of its contemporary life.

It was fascinating to note the different quality of the stone work, with prestigious temples being carefully crafted and lower level building being almost "thrown together", the latter is of course an over-statement but there is a real difference between the buildings. Indeed where other buildings join the Sun Temple you can observe the difference in a block’s width.

I’d advise a climb up to the upper terrace overlooking the settlement as it’s from here that you’ll get that "picture postcard" photograph. It is a bit of a tough climb, but that’s mainly because of the varying height of the steps with a touch of altitude.

At the far side of the site are the "labourer’s accommodation" and there’s a very interesting boulder which looks as if it was naturally deposited there. But take a moment to check out its contours and then look straight ahead into the middle distance towards the Sun Gate. There is the outline of natural cliff that is almost absolutely duplicated onto the boulder. Why? Who knows? But clearly the shapes were transferred by man onto the boulder. Perhaps a stone mason’s practice piece or a message to the Gods? Certainly this was overlooking the ceremonial site where the population of Machu Picchu would assemble for religious messages and where the archaeologists found a lot of broken high quality pottery believed to have been offered as "sacrificial offerings" to the Gods. The Inca’s best pottery that was donated to the Gods at key times in the Inca calendar or when there seemed to be a need to please the "spiritual beings" that overlooked the daily lives of this Inca settlement.

Machu Picchu is still a spiritual place that is very hard to give justice to in words or pictures. I think it is a truly iconic site that has to be seen and experienced to believe. If you can get there then I’d strongly recommend a visit. And then when you can’t capture the enormity of the site to others you will fully understand how I feel about the great Machu Picchu.
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From journal My trip to the great Machu Picchu

An incredible experience

by Marianina

Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay

August 30, 2010

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It’s beautiful place that you will remember forever. For the ones that like the nature, I recommend going thru the Incas road. You have the option for 3 or 5 days, and would be able to see ruins that are accessible only walking.Avoid going in the ...Read more

Machu Picchu

by nmagann

Ventura, California

May 16, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo The train going to Machu Picchu left promptly at 8am from Agua Caliente for the 1 1/2 ride. From everything I had read about limiting the number of visitors and such, getting some kind of package tour was recommended. While the scenery on the ...Read more

From journal Sneak Peak Peru

The Hype, and Then Some

by Niiko

Andújar, Spain

April 29, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo ~ A Little Background ~ Originally built during the 15th century, Machu Picchu is unusual for the fact that the relentless Spanish conquistadors who sought to wipe out the Incas never discovered its location. However, with the passing of those who ...Read more

From journal Snow, Stairs and Soroche; Heart of the Inca Empire

City of the Incas

by Essexgirl09

London, England, United Kingdom

March 14, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo Machu Picchu is an ancient Inca site built in the 1450s but abandoned about a century later (possibly due to an epidemic). It remained a mystery to the outside world, known only to locals until American explorer Hiram Bingham re-discovered it only ...Read more Machu Picchu is an ancient Inca site built in the 1450s but abandoned about a century later (possibly due to an epidemic). It remained a mystery to the outside world, known only to locals until American explorer Hiram Bingham re-discovered it only in 1911. It has since become one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world and was recently voted one of the seven new wonders of the world.

I went as part of an organised tour and we travelled from just outside Cusco, by train, to the incredibly unattractive and touristy town of Aguas Calientes (‘hot waters’ in Spanish, due to nearby hot springs). The journey itself is quite pleasant, but long and slow and takes about three hours. There is some lovely scenery in places en route, and it is nice to see rural scenes go by. Aguas Calientes is on a steep slope so you will need to either walk up a slope or some steps to get to your hotel, unless you have booked one near the bottom. From Aguas Calientes you can get a bus to Machu Picchu which runs regularly for a modest fee, or you can walk. I didn’t do the Inca trail or any of the other treks as I am essentially quite lazy! You can climb the mountains and hills around the sites for a few hours or a day if you wish, but tickets and passes run out quickly, so you need to start very early in the morning. If getting the bus, you wil find it takes a zig-zag route up the side of the mountain and is quite hairy at times, especially when it meets another coming the other way. Vertigo sufferers are advised to make sure they are looking the other way at all times – due to the twists and turns it doesn’t matter where you sit on the bus.

The altitude here is about 2400m, so lower than Cusco and other parts of the mountain range, therefore it is easier to walk around than in those places but I certainly felt the affects of the altitude on some of the uphill climbs though. Machu Picchu is on a slope, so there are a lot of steep up and down hills and steps to do. Although well looked after, ground is uneven, so sensible flat shoes need to be worn also. Llamas and alpacas graze at the site keeping the grass mowed, beware if you are walking up some steps and they are coming down, regardless of the rules of the road in your country, they are bigger than you and won’t give way - I speak from experience! Bring water too, as although there is a little shop, you can probably get some cheaper elsewhere (like Cusco!).

We had a guide with us as part of our tour group, and he was worth his weight in gold. He clearly explained what everything is, how the city operated in its heyday 500 years ago, and gave us a lot of information on Incan history. Many Inca sites were destroyed by the Spanish when they conquered in the early 16th Century, razed to the ground and cathedrals built on top. This site was not discovered by them (if access is difficult now, imagine how hard it was 450 years ago!) so although in ruins it is essentially unharmed by humans having been hidden in the jungle for centuries. The location was no doubt chosen for strategic purposes by the Incas and it certainly worked as the two main access points are over mountains, at altitude. The climate and soil was suitable for farming and was terraced, and there was access to clean spring water. All in all this was a busy and sophisticated Incan city.

Climb to the funerary rock hut for your picture postcard views of the site, don’t worry, the walk down is easier! I loved the view so much I had to be persuaded to move, assured that the site would live up to the view and to my expectations I continued on. This is also a good sunset viewing spot. Here you are also looking down on all the terraces that would have been used for farming. After this we went down to some of the buildings, still above the main plaza, and saw where some of the more important Incas may have lived and even an Incan toilet (also known as a hole in the ground), there are windows still in the walls, although no roof, so you can admire the views that they may have enjoyed. Here also is the royal tomb, but at the time I visited we could not go inside it for safety reasons. Nearer the main plaza is the intiwatana, used by the Incas to track the sun’s movements as a kind of calendar. The surviving building work is impressive, with many large stones, the logistics of getting these stones (some were identified as coming from Cusco region, some from further afield), across one mountain, let alone many is mind boggling.

The site is a UNESCO world heritage site, and may yet become one of their more endangered sites due to the increased volume in tourists; it already has a no fly zone above it. Recent landslides at the beginning of 2010 will have increased concerns, although the site should re-open to tourists in April 2010.

It is a popular site to see for sunrise and many people walk to the Sun-Gate to see it and then carry on into the site. This is probably the busiest time to visit. We visited mid-late afternoon and in the last hour before closing we almost had the place to ourselves.

It is possible to do Machu Picchu in a day from Cusco by getting the early train, missing the ‘delights’ of Aguas Calientes, and getting the late afternoon train back. but I’d hate to be rushed. Overall I think we were only there about 2.5 hours (this didn’t include stops for food, we ate before) and this is plenty of time, I certainly felt happy with the memories I got from here and we didn’t miss anything. Close

From journal Peru Part 1

Somewhere You Must See Before You Die

by catsholiday

ashbourne, United Kingdom

January 11, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo If you were asked to write a list of places you MUST see in the world I believe this would be on most people’s list. It was certainly on my list; it is a destination of a lifetime, a dream come true and one of the most fascinating archaeological ...Read more

From journal South America

Temple of the Sun

by LenR

Townsville, Queensland, Australia

July 27, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo You can easily pick out the Temple of the Sun among the ruins, as its rounded walls make it a very distinctive landmark. These rounded walls best exhibit the masonry skills that the Inca developed. The large granite blocks are polished and rounded ...Read more You can easily pick out the Temple of the Sun among the ruins, as its rounded walls make it a very distinctive landmark. These rounded walls best exhibit the masonry skills that the Inca developed. The large granite blocks are polished and rounded to fit perfectly with the rocks around them. It truly is something to examine up close, and when you consider that the builders employed no cement or mortar to bind their structures, it's easy to imagine how painstaking the process must have been.

According to Inca mythology, Manco Capac was the first king of the original Kingdom of Cusco, and myth has it that he was born from the sun god Inti. Rising from Lake Titicaca, Manco Capac would establish the Inca civilization in Cusco. Inti was worshiped with fervor, as the Inca placed prime importance in the sun's life giving powers. The Inca civilization depended highly on agriculture, and this was one reason for them to worship the sun. Given the sun's light and warmth, it figured prominently within the Inca religion, which found its basis in nature. The Temple of the Sun at Machu Picchu was dedicated to Inti, whom they wished to keep content.

Depending on whether you took the ascending path upon entry to Machu Picchu, or the descending path to the right, you will either have to climb or go down a series of stairs to get to the Temple of the Sun. The Temple served as a solar observatory, and its windows are placed at key points for observing the solstices. If you are standing on the ledge that sits above the temple, you can observe the aligned window that was meant to signal the June winter solstice. There are two trapezoidal windows in this building with protruding knobs at every comer, and on the north side there is a carefully-sculpted door with bored holes in the doorjamb.

There is a stone at the center of the Temple of the Sun, which acted as an Inca calendar according to how it caught the sun's rays. It is also believed that the structure is an altar, which was used for animal sacrifices. Priests would use the organs of the animals to aid in their religious predictions. It is believed that the Inca also observed the constellation of Pleiades from a window. This constellation supposedly helped the Inca calculate when the rains would come, helping them pick the right time to plant their crops.

Next to the Temple of the Sun is the Chamber of the Princess, and below the temple is The Royal Tomb. The building was most likely used for Inca nobility, which may explain why Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham chose its name. A three-walled house standing next to the chamber has been restored with a thatched roof and provides a good illustration of how Inca buildings might have once looked. The Royal Tomb is a bit of a misnomer due to the fact that neither graves nor human remains have ever been encountered here. This cave-like structure, however, is an excellent example of the Inca's stonemasonry genius. Located inside is a stepped altar and a series of tall niches, once used to present offerings.
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From journal Magical Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu site

by LenR

Townsville, Queensland, Australia

July 27, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo Most people would have seen amazing pictures of Machu Picchu on TV and I wondered if I would be disappointed by the real thing. I shouldn’t have worried because this is better than any depiction can ever convey. The place is simply magnificent.Due ...Read more Most people would have seen amazing pictures of Machu Picchu on TV and I wondered if I would be disappointed by the real thing. I shouldn’t have worried because this is better than any depiction can ever convey. The place is simply magnificent.

Due to the fact that Machu Picchu was never found by the Spanish, it appears much today like it did when it was in use. The major difference is the lack of roofs on the buildings but this is understandable as they were all of thatch. As you enter the site of the Machu Picchu ruins, you might choose to take the path to the left that heads uphill. Here, the Caretaker's Hut and the Funerary Rock vie for competition with the amazing overhead view of the complex. The surrounding area was dedicated to agriculture, and as such, is aptly named the Agricultural Center.

The exact purpose that ancient Machu Picchu served is an issue of debate, with a few main theories that seem to be among the most plausible. Some scholars believe that Machu Picchu was a center of administration and a sort of look out post along a major Inca road. Others think that perhaps Machu Picchu was a retreat of sorts for the Inca Pachacutec, who lived in the city with his family clan. When we examine the presence of the Temple of the Sun at Machu Picchu, it appears that Machu Picchu may have been first and foremost a sacred center, where the natural land was highly revered and worshiped.

If you haven’t hiked here there are a couple of great hikes within the park which I strongly recommend. The first is to Huayna Picchu the peak which you see in the background of most Machu Picchu photographs. Only 400 people are allowed to hike this peak per day so you need to get there early if you want to be one of them. It’s roughly a 3 hour round trip. The climb is steep and narrow in parts but the view from the top is great. At 7:00 400 ticket numbers are issued and the first of batch of 200 hikers is slowly released. The second group of 200 can start any time between 10:00 and 11:00. On busy tourist days, the limit will be reached by 7 or 8.

Another recommended hike is to the Sungate which is where the trekkers get their great view of the citadel. The hike to the Sungate is about an hour each way but it’s not as steep as Huayna Picchu. This hike will, however, still test your energy levels and at the same time give you a taste for what the trekkers experience over four difficult days.

There are many things within the site worth seeing and I write about two of these in other entries. One thing that I wondered about before going to Machu Picchu was how a city near the top of a mountain could be supplied with enough water to survive. I found the answer in the South of the complex, between the Temple of the Sun and the Royal Palace, where there are a series of water fountains, the only sources of the vital element for the residents of Machu Picchu. The first three water fountains have been extremely well sculpted. The architectural structures in this area are basically sculpted rock to which are added other decorations such as the spillway and the side walls. This beautiful finish is due to the harmony existing between the Temple of the Sun and the Royal Palace. These fountains were fed by underground water and carried via a canal to be used for irrigation of crops. The fountains ensured clean water to the population of the city.

Visiting Machu Picchu isn't cheap. As of March 2009, the entrance fee to the site was 124 soles; students with an ISIC pay 61 soles. The cheapest train ticket to Aguas Calientes available to foreigners is US$98 return.
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From journal Magical Machu Picchu

Pure Inca Gold

by britgirl7

Dallas, Texas

April 6, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo For most people seeing Machu Picchu is the cherry on their Peruvian cake. Indeed the ancient Inca site is perhaps one of the most stunning in the world.I had read the blogs, scoured photos and memorized the history of Machu Picchu before I even set ...Read more

From journal South of the Equator to Peru

Machu Picchu

by Wasatch

heber ctity, Utah

April 22, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo 3,000 feet lower than Cuzco, Machu Picchu has a warmer, more humid climate. The Conquistadors never found the city, sparing it the destruction the Spanish inflicted on Cuzco and other Inca towns. When Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911, it had ...Read more

From journal The Christians Won the War, but the Worl

IgoUgo

Machu Picchu Inca Archaeological Site

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