Machu Pichu

Definnite highlight of the trip. Machu Pichu is nestled in the mounntains a few hours drive from Cuzco. Cuzco being the center of the ancient Inca culture and a bustling tourist destination. The trip from Cuzco to Machu Pichu invloves a two hour bus drive to a train station and tyhen another two hours by train followed by a final scary bus drive up the side of the Machu Pichu mountain to reach the ruins. In fact they are not ruins at all but inn fairly good condition. Surprisingly, Machu Pichu was built between the 1400 - 1500's A.D. Only 100 years before the Spanish arrived. Not surprisinly it was only discovered in the modern era in 1910. Not surprising because it is so hidden away amongst inaccessible mountains. The city sits between four prominent mountain peaks that go by the names of Machu Pichu mountain (where the city obviously gets its' name from) being the largest of the four and then the English names of the other three being New mountain, Small Mountainn and Happy Mountain. See Machu Pichu City below with the mountains in background, New Mountain beinng big onne in centre ans Small Mountaain being smaller onne  on left.

Machu Pichu was built as a spiritual and cultural centre which waas visited by Inca piillgrims coming fromm all over the Inca domain which consistss of most of modern day Peru. Approximately 500 people lived there. The residents beinng mainly privileged class religous and scientific types. The question one asks is why they would go to such lengths to build something of such magnitude in such a remote area. Apparently the answer is  that they wanted to high up in the mountains to be closer to the heavens (gods) aand also the jungle. Maxhu Piichu maountain has two natural springs on it and these are channeled into the city by 750 meters of granite channels. The water still runs today. There are hundreds of terraces all around the city which were used to  plant crops.

Terraces in the foreground and Machu Pichu mountain in background

 Water ducts still carry water today

The buildings in the city include the houses, schools, temples annd social gathering areas. The temples connsist of four temples which represent the four elements  - Air (wind), Sun, (fire), Earth and water.

Sun Temple which has two windows that allow the suun to shine through on exactly 21 JJune and 22 December - the winter nad summer solctices.

At the very centre of the city is an altar / sun dial which overlooks the whole  city. Apparently if one places ones hands on this mmassive granite structure one can feeel a tingling sensation said to be  caused by the quartz crystals in the granite

Sun Dial Altar

It is said that the city was bbuilt oveer 1000 years by approximately 10 0000 workers. The workers supplied their labour as a form of taxation paid to the authorities. It is also beleived to  be only 70% completed. The rreason it was evacuated is beleived to be bbecause the residents were  required in Cuzco (the main centre) to fight a war, eitheer against internal rivals or peerhaps even  the Spanish. Whaat still  needs to be done is to climb the huge New Mountain.. Only 4000 hundred tourists are allowed to do this per day and it takes a whole day to get up and down. The peak of this mountain housed the high priest. Inca pilgrims who visited Machu Pichu would climb the mountain to visit the high priest righht at the end of their journey before returning home.

Weary pilgrims visiting Machu Pichu

Happy Mountain