Magical Machu Picchu

The Temple of Three Windows, together with the Principal Temple and the Intihuatana, make up what Bingham called the Sacred Plaza. He believed that the three windows framing the distant mountains represented the three mythological caves from which the Ayar brothers, children of the sun, stepped into the world. The explorer believed that the fact that a temple at Machu Picchu had three large windows, a rare feature in Inca architecture, was evidence of the city’s importance to the Inca.

Located west of the main square, this sacred temple of the Three Windows is known for its huge walls and three trapezoidal-shaped windows through which the sun's rays would pass illuminating the "Sacred Plaza" beyond. This wall is built from one gigantic stone.

The Temple of the Three Windows housed an altar which was possibly used to sacrifice children for Pachamama (Mother Earth) in times of desperation. In front of the Wayrana-style construction, on the large doorjamb next to the central column, there is a sculpted lithograph with carefully polished moulds and flat parts. Shards of smashed pottery were found beneath the temple perhaps indicating to some experts that pots would have been ritually broken here.

The view from Machu Picchu's Sacred Plaza makes one appreciate the superb craftsmanship of the Inca workmen. Surrounding the plaza are the most important buildings of the city. Nearby is the Principal or Main Temple. It is built of three walls and is 11m long and 8m wide. This is an example of excellent Inca stonemasonry, with its large stone blocks polished smooth and joined perfectly. At one end there is a rare example of a wall failure. It appears that the stones were placed on inadequate foundations and the earth has settled over the years

One of the highlights of a Machu Picchu visit is to see the Intiwatana stone. This is located on a highpoint made up of several terraces. You gain access to the stone via 78 well-crafted steps. At the end of the staircase you enter an open patio with walls equally well-sculpted, and where one can see an upper platform where there is a granite rock sculpted into three steps. In the central part there is a rectangular prism that is 36cm high and which is pointing from North-West to South-East.
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Its four corners are directed to the four cardinal points. The Intiwatana apparently had specific functions: it measured time (the solstice and the equinox) by using sunlight and shadow, and also served as an altar.


The Spanish did not find Machu Picchu so the Intihuatana stone here was not destroyed as many other ritual stones in Peru were. The Spanish destroyed them because they deemed them to be objects of pagan worship. These stones are arranged to point directly at the sun during the winter solstice. Intihuatana also is called "The Hitching Point of the Sun" because it was believed to hold the sun in its place along its annual path in the sky. At midday on March 21 and September 21, the equinoxes, the sun stands almost above the pillar—casting no shadow.

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.

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.

This is where the tourist trains for Machu Picchu terminate. The town is not great but the setting is magnificent. Aguas Calientes lies in the valley below Machu Picchu and is situated along the roaring Rio Urubamba where it intersects with the Rio Aguas Calientes. Being at a much lower altitude than Cusco and the Sacred Valley, this area is very lush and tropical with green mountains surrounding the town.


There are basically only 2 main streets in Aguas Calientes; the street with the old train tracks running through, and another which extends up from the Plaza to the thermal springs. There are numerous places to stay and eat in Aguas Calientes and the town is used to catering to tourists. You'll find most of the town's hotels and restaurants on these streets. Many of these have upgraded in recent years and now there is good choice and some with excellent standard.


The town's economy is based around tourism so it has its fair share of souvenir shops and stalls. I’m not convinced that there are any particular bargains here but my wife bought some stuff anyway. Of course it's Machu Picchu that people have came to visit and Aguas Calientes itself has little to offer the tourist apart from its thermal springs believed to possess curative powers.


The outdoor thermal pools can be found 15 minutes walk out of town and costs US$3 to enter. There are changing facilities, showers, luggage storage and a small cafe selling snacks, cold drinks and beer. There are several pools of varying size and temperature including one filled with ice cold mountain water. The springs have been recently refurbished and are a good place to relax, especially after completing the Inca Trail. They are open from 5am to 9pm.


If you're feeling adventurous and have plenty of energy left, and 4 hours to spare, you may consider climbing the breathtaking trail to Putucusi. Putucusi is the mountain on the opposite side of the river to Machu Picchu. The views of Machu Picchu from the top are spectacular but it's the trail up that you'll remember most. It's an Inca Trail that has only recently been discovered and cleared and involves ascending some pretty hair-raising vertical ladders along the way. The trail starts only 10 minutes walk outside town but it’s not for the faint-hearted.

Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel located adjacent to the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu. It is certainly not for everyone but for those who can afford it, the hotel is a great base for exploring the area. The cost of US$850-1440 per night is a good indication that this is something special. It is not stuffy, however; just casual and intimate.

There are two suites and twenty-nine rooms, twelve of them with an amazing view of the mountains. The rooms are equipped with telephone, satellite TV with VCR, hair dryer, minibar, safety-deposit box, and radio/alarm clock with docking station.


There is the option of dining in two restaurants or in your room. With a maximum capacity of 72 people, Tampu Restaurant Bar features natural materials such as stone and wood, in keeping with the overall environmentally harmonious style of the Lodge. You can enjoy the wonderful views of the majestic surroundings while you try dishes from an International or Peruvian à la carte menu. This is a stylish and modern space which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and has a bar which is open from 7.00am until 10.00pm. Food is of a very high standard and price is not a consideration for those who can afford the room cost.


Tinkuy Buffet Restaurant is quite different. It offers a daily lunch buffet which is open to guests of the Lodge and visitors to Machu Picchu. I certainly don't recommend it for lunch during peak periods when the lines of day trippers at the buffet can be daunting. The restaurant, with a capacity of 200, offers pleasant surroundings at other times. The lunch buffet offers a wide variety of International and Peruvian dishes, a selection of salads, main courses and desserts. We thought it was well above most standard buffets.


Every evening, Tinkuy Buffet Restaurant features evening multimedia presentations of the Machu Picchu Citadel and the beauty of its orchids.


Despite the cost, the hotel is extremely popular and at certain times of the year you need to book 12 months ahead. The property is operated by the same company that runs the 5-star Monasterio Hotel in Cusco and I am told it helps to get a room if visitors use both properties.

While doing a four-day trek along the Inca Trail may seem exciting to some, most visitors to Machu Picchu travel by train. This is still a spectacular way to travel as you follow the increasingly narrow Urubamba Valley towards Aguas Calientes.

There are several train options for visitors. The Backpacker trains are the most economical. They depart from both The Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo) and Cusco (Poroy) each day. The standard is similar to second-class travel in Europe. Snacks are served at an additional cost and additional storage space is available for backpacks.


The Vistadome trains are a step up from here and are the most popular with visitors. This was our choice and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The trains have wide panoramic windows offering unsurpassed scenic views and photographic opportunities. It is a great way to experience Peru's remarkable landscape. Entertainment on board, snacks and hot and cold refreshments are included on the journey. The viewing windows give great views of the valley and surrounding peaks and the carriages are spacious and comfortable.

One Vistadome service starts at Poroy near Cusco while others depart from Ollantaytambo. The first takes several hours while from Ollantaytambo it is a 90 minute ride to Aguas Calientes. In the peak tourist season there are trains leaving Ollantatambo at half-hour intervals in the morning.

Most people were tired on the way back to Ollantaytambo and several had started to nod off before the unexpected entertainment started. They instantly woke as the music and loud yelling signalled a visit by a local spirit. This was followed by an entertaining fashion parade. Most people thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace.

The Hiram Bingham train is the most luxurious way to journey between Cusco and Machu Picchu. The train is named after the explorer who discovered the fascinating remains of Machu Picchu in 1911. The carriages are painted a distinctive blue and gold while interiors are luxurious, warm and inviting with elegant decoration in the style of the 1920's Pullman trains.


The train consists of two Dining Cars, an Observation Bar Car and a Kitchen Car, and can carry up to 84 passengers. In the morning en route to Machu Picchu a brunch is served as you watch the stunning landscape unfold. At Machu Picchu a guide shows you the highlights of the Machu Picchu citadel. Cocktails and a gourmet dinner are served on the return journey to Cusco.