 Machu
Picchu is the most impressive and spectacular accomplishment of
the Inca Empire. It is possibly one of the greatest accomplishments
to visit in Peru. It is tucked away on a small hilltop between
two Andean peaks at 7,000 feet above sea level. The fact that
it lay hidden to all but a few peasants for hundreds of years
adds to its mystery and intrigue. Never discovered by the Spanish
or mentioned in their chronicles, Machu Picchu is the most popular,
yet least well-known of the Inca monuments - the pre-Colonial
cultures of Peru left no written records. Yale professor Hiram
Bingham discovered the ruins buried beneath dense undergrowth
in 1911.
Our Spanish school offers trail packages that allow you to follow the ancient trails of the Inca to Machu Picchu. You can review these trails at: Inca Trails
The first sight of Machu Picchu is fascinating
and almost magical. The temples, fields, terraces, and baths appear
to be part of the hillside itself . . . an imposing, elegant green,
lush paradise carved into its natural surroundings. The agricultural
terracing and aqueducts take advantage of the  natural
slopes; the lower areas contain buildings occupied by farmers
and teachers, and the most important religious areas are located
at the crest of the hill, overlooking the lush Urubamba Valley
thousands of feet below.
To actually explore the ruins you enter through
the "House of the Terrace Caretakers" which flank the
Agricultural Sector. This great area of terracing made the city
self-sufficient in crops. The terraces end in a dry moat, beyond
which lies the city itself. If you continue straight ahead you
come to the Fountains, which are actually small waterfalls, in
a chain of 16 little "baths." These were probably used
for religious rituals. Here, too, is the Temple of the Sun. this
round tapering tower features the most perfect stonework found
in Machu Picchu. Next to the Sun Temple is a three-walled house,
which has been restored and its roof thatched as an example of
how these structures looked in Inca times. It is usually called
the Fountain Caretaker's House. Opposite the Sun Temple, are the
structures call the Royal Sector. They can be identified by the
roominess of the buildings, and also for the huge rock lintels
(weighing up to 3 tons) which generally characterized the homes
of the mighty in Inca architecture. Following, the Temple of the
Three Windows, is one of the most interesting areas of the city.
Its east wall is built on a single huge rock; the trapezoidal
windows are partly cut into it. Next to this site stands the Principal
Temple, another three-walled building with immense foundation
rocks and artfully-cut masonry. The more adventurous visitor may
like to climb Huayna Picchu, the towering granite peak that overlooks
Machu Picchu for the north. The path is very steep; it's the original
Inca path and must be approached with caution. |
