Thursday, December 19, 2019, Machu Picchu/Cusco #3, Peru

Machu Picchu

We explored the world of the Incas, from Machu Picchu to the former capital of Cusco. Set in a magnificent landscape high in the Andes Mountains, this remote site was abandoned by the Inca empire during the mid-16^th century and not rediscovered until 1911. We made a memorable journey by train to reach this UNESCO World Heritage Site before learning about its discovery and the theories surrounding its purpose.

The train to Machu Picchu could be what you've been dreaming of, if you've been seduced by tales of the Lost City of the Incas. Many travelers that Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, is the gateway to Machu Picchu, but beyond hiking the Inca Trail, they aren't sure of the practical elements of a trip there. The train covers the 50 miles between the two destinations easily; it's perfect if you can't or don't want to hike. PeruRail offers affordable and efficient service to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Machu Picchu is surrounded by lush jungle and the Andes Mountains, making the train ride one of the most beautiful on the planet.

7,000 feet above sea level and nestled on a small hilltop between the Andean Mountain Range, the majestic city soars above the Urabamba Valley below. The Incan built structure has been deemed the “Lost Cities,” unknown until its relatively recent discovery in 1911. Archaeologists estimate that approximately 1200 people could have lived in the area, though many theorize it was most likely a retreat for Incan rulers. Due to its isolation from the rest of Peru, living in the area full time would require traveling great distances just to reach the nearest village.

http://www.peru-machu-picchu.com/index.php

Separated into three areas - agricultural, urban, and religious - the structures are arranged so that the function of the buildings matches the form of their 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.

Machu Picchu: Central Plaza

The Central Plaza of Machu Picchu is surrounded by roofless stone structures and steep terraces, with a lovely view of Huayna Picchu. The plaza is the green island amid the Inca stone buildings that make up Machu Picchu, and travelers will often see llamas roaming through the grass and grazing. The Central Plaza’s grassy field separates the Sacred Plaza and Intiwatana from the residential areas on the far side of the complex.

The Temple of the Three Windows on the Sacred Plaza offers a beautiful view of the green expanse, and a flight of stairs at the back of the Sacred Plaza descends to the Central Plaza. At the lower end of the Central Plaza is Prison Group, a labyrinthine set of cells, passageways, and niches extending both underground and above it. The central attraction of the group is the Temple of the Condor, which has a carving of the head of a condor above a rock pile; behind the bird is a door to a tiny underground cell.

http://www.peru-machu-picchu.com/central-plaza.php

We cut down to about 25% of the pictures taken but there are still over 250 in this blog.

It was almost a two hour bus ride from Cusco to the train station along the Urubamba River in the Sacred Valley. We made a quick photo stop around 6:30 AM at a high vantage point before descending into the valley.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas, or the Urubamba Valley, is a valley in the Andes of Peru, 12 miles at its closest north of the Inca capital of Cusco. It is located in the present-day Peruvian region of Cusco. In colonial documents it was referred to as the "Valley of Yucay." The Sacred Valley was incorporated slowly into the incipient Inca Empire during the period from 1000 to 1400 CE.

The Sacred Valley is a major tourist destination. In 2013, 1.2 million people, 800,000 of them non-Peruvians, are estimated to have visited Machu Picchu, its most famous archaeological site. Many of the same tourists also visited other archaeological sites and modern towns in the Sacred Valley.

Stretching from Pisac to Ollantaytambo, this fertile valley is irrigated by the Urubamba River. The Chanapata civilization first utilized this area starting at around 800 BCE because of the rich soil used for agriculture. The Qotacalla civilization lived in the Sacred Valley from 500 to 900 CE. The Killke civilization then lived in the Sacred Valley from 900 CE until the Incan Empire took over the region in 1420. The Incan Empire ruled this area until the arrival of the Spanish.

The Sacred Valley was viewed to have territorial connection to the Milky Way by the Incas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Valley