Now that we’ve talked about Inka Pachakuteq and the history of Machu Picchu and have explored the outskirts of the site, it’s finally time to explore the citadel! That’s what they call the main area of buildings onsite even though “citadel” gives more of a fortress vibe, and we’ve already covered the fact that historians think Machu Picchu was most likely a royal estate. That, at least, is the assumption that we’re going to go with as we walk through the site and learn about what the different buildings were potentially used for. Again, everything I say may or may not be true. Thanks to the Incas’ lack of a written language, best guesses are sometimes all that historians can make. So, here are a bunch of best guesses about the ruins at Machu Picchu! Just insert a “maybe” before each statement I make from here on out.
The site can be divided into two main sectors, farming and urban. The farming sector consists of the terraces, many of which are still unexcavated. Vegetation grows quickly in the cloud forest! There are also some buildings around the terraces that may have been used to house farmers, but the majority of the buildings are located in the urban sector/citadel.
After you enter through the ticketing area, you walk up lots of stairs and past lots of farming terraces until you finally get your first glimpse of the urban sector. There are a bunch of different viewpoints from which you can get a low-flying bird’s eye view, and at one of these is the “watchman’s post” or maybe “the hut of the caretaker of the funerary rock” or “call it whatever you want because who knows”. This three-walled structure has a great view of the citadel and the surrounding valley and is one of the few buildings with a restored thatch roof. Remember that this type of roof would have been standard, so based on that alone, the urban sector would have looked very different. Just outside, there’s a large “funerary rock”, carved into an altar and used for embalming and mummification… or maybe used for animal sacrifices. In the nearby field, a number of skeletons were excavated which is part of the reason for the mummy theory. In that case, the hut would have potentially been used in the mummification process as well.
A dry moat separates the outer buildings and farming areas from the urban sector. Through the main gate (that used to have a door with a locking mechanism!), you enter into the upper part of town which contains support buildings like storehouses and public buildings and the remnants of a quarry that likely supplied much of the stone for the buildings. What an exciting welcome to town, right? But it makes sense not to put the really important stuff right next to the city gate, just in case (Lara speculation).
Downhill from these structures is where things start getting interesting. Not surprisingly, the most unique building in the city is the Sun Temple. It has a curved wall with that classic imperial stonework, and it’s built above a giant boulder. The top of that boulder was carved into an altar that was used for animal sacrifices (to read the future in their entrails… ick). This was also where the Inka would come to drink chicha (corn beer) with his “father” the sun, as the Incas believed that the Inka (king) was descended from the sun god, Inti (side note: to keep the royal bloodline pure, each heir had to be a son of the Inka and his sister).
The Incas mummified their dead and treated them a bit like they were still living, so underneath the temple is a “royal tomb”, basically a cave where it is believed that the Inka’s mummy was kept. Even after Inka Pachakuteq died, it is likely that his mummy was brought back to Machu Picchu, kept beneath his father’s temple, and given food and drink (not quite sure about the logistics of that).
Near the sun temple are the royal apartments, aka the residence of the living, pre-mummified Inka. The spring on Machu Picchu Mountain was first directed through the Inka’s apartment so that he could have the freshest possible water, and from there, it flowed through a series of ceremonial fountains. The residence consists of a central patio area surrounded by two large and two small rooms.
Beyond the rock quarry and royal apartments is the main sacred area for the town. A small plaza is bordered by two temples and another room that could have been the priest’s dwelling. You can tell that the temples are important buildings just by looking at their quality stonework.
The sacred spaces continue up “Sacred Hill”. There are more temple-like buildings with high-quality stonework, but again, the exact use of each space isn’t really known. At the top of Sacred Hill is one of the only remaining “Intiwatana”, or “sun fastener”, stones. This carved rock was used during the winter solstice celebration, Inti Raymi, to symbolically tie the sun to the earth. Inti Raymi was a festival to ask Inti not to abandon his people, to move closer instead of farther away. Otherwise, the stone was also used to measure the solar year and keep track of important sun dates like equinoxes and solstices. It was not, however, a sundial or solar clock. The Incas didn’t have clocks as they didn’t measure days in hours and minutes. This hill was also the priest’s pulpit. He could stand high above the main plaza and address the people gathered below.
Across the lawn, right in front of Huayna Picchu, is a “Sacred Rock”. It’s clearly important because a stone pedestal was built around it (it’s a natural projection of the mountain), but what were people worshipping there? It supposedly could look like a puma or a guinea pig, but personally, I don’t see it. Another possibility is that it was simply a representation of a sacred mountain peak. Mountains were believed to have spirits that were considered protectors of the people. I’m going to go with that because I can definitely see “mountain” in this rock.
Finally, moving back towards the main gate but on the other side of the main plaza, there are TONS of buildings. These were apartments for support staff, storehouses, and other utility spaces. There are various interesting features sprinkled throughout these rooms, including these two “water mirrors”. Some guess that they were used to reflect the night sky and study the stars, but that seems silly because why look down at a reflection when you could look up at the real thing? Oh well, at this point, what’s one more unsolved mystery?
On the way out, you walk through one of my favorite parts of town. I don’t know what it was used for… maybe just more support buildings? But the reason I love it is because there are large boulders all over the place, and the buildings are built right into/onto/around them. It’s so cool! There’s one in particular that’s very important, the Temple of the Condor. There’s a huge rock at the center that somehow looks like a landing condor? Condors, pumas, and snakes were sacred animals for the Incas, so it was likely an important religious space.
By the time we were about halfway through the citadel, we were all more than ready to call it a day. Mom and Dad actually said before we even entered the town that they felt like they’d already seen enough. I insisted that we walk through, but I understood their exhaustion. We had already done a lot of walking! We walked through the exit gates EIGHT hours after we walked in. Eight. Hours. But we did it! We survived! And we did/saw everything we wanted to do/see which is VERY impressive.
We took the bus back to town and then mostly hung out in our hotel until it was time to head to the train station for our ride back to Cusco. We were taking a train that went all the way back to the city, rather than the other option of having to transfer to a car in Ollantaytambo. Good in theory, but I probably should have looked more closely at the schedule. It’s insane. The train from Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo takes about 1:45. To drive to Cusco from there would take about 2 hours. The train, on the other hand, took nearly 3 HOURS. How? Well, please direct your attention to the helpful map below. I traced the train tracks in blue.
When we felt like it was time for the ride to be over, we called over the train attendant and grilled him for answers. We could literally SEE Cusco, and he said it was still going to take at least a half-hour to arrive at the station. I was so exhausted that I almost cried. He explained that in order to get down into the valley, the train goes down a series of switchbacks. Switchbacks! For a train! It hits a dead end, they switch the tracks, the back of the train becomes the front, and it continues on until the next dead end. I ranted in delirious Spanish about how silly that was, and he excused himself/escaped at the first opportunity.
Eventually, though, we made it. Everyone was tired of sitting, so we walked the 15 minutes to our hotel and collapsed. Talk about a long day.
Inka Pachakuteq and the History of Machu Picchu – learn about the Inka who built Machu Picchu and how it came to be
Machu Picchu: Inca Bridge and Intipunku (Sun Gate) – take two hikes to interesting features near the citadel
Machu Picchu – come along on my first visit to Machu Picchu, including the hike up Machu Picchu Mountain
Ollantaytambo – explore another royal Inca estate!
Cusco: Q’enko and Saqsayhuaman – admire some impressive Inca stonework at Saqsayhuaman
Sasa kwa kuwa tumezungumza juu ya Inka Pachakuteq na historia ya Machu Picchu na tumegundua vitongoji vya tovuti hiyo, hatimaye ni wakati wa kuchunguza ngome! "Hiyo ni nini wao wito eneo kuu ya majengo onsite ingawa ""cityadel"" inatoa zaidi ya ngome vibe, na sisi tayari kufunikwa ukweli kwamba wanahistoria kufikiri Machu Picchu ilikuwa uwezekano mkubwa mali ya kifalme." Hiyo, angalau, ni dhana kwamba sisi ni kwenda kwenda na kama sisi kutembea kwa njia ya tovuti na kujifunza kuhusu nini majengo tofauti walikuwa uwezekano kutumika kwa. Kwa mara nyingine tena, kila kitu ninachosema kinaweza kuwa kweli au kingine. Kwa sababu Wainka hawakuwa na lugha iliyoandikwa, nyakati nyingine wanahistoria wanaweza tu kukisia-kisia. Kwa hiyo, hapa kuna makadirio kadhaa kuhusu magofu ya Machu Picchu! Tu kuingiza "labda" kabla ya kila taarifa mimi kufanya kutoka hapa nje. Tovuti inaweza kugawanywa katika sekta mbili kuu, kilimo na mijini. Sehemu ya kilimo inajumuisha matuta, ambayo mengi bado hayajachimbuliwa. Mimea hukua upesi katika msitu wa mawingu! Pia kuna baadhi ya majengo karibu na terraces ambayo inaweza kuwa kutumika kwa makazi ya wakulima, lakini wengi wa majengo ziko katika sekta ya mijini au citadel. Baada ya kuingia katika eneo la tiketi, unakwenda juu ya ngazi nyingi na kupita matuta mengi ya kilimo mpaka hatimaye unapata mtazamo wako wa kwanza wa sekta ya mijini. Kuna mengi ya maoni tofauti kutoka ambayo unaweza kupata ndege ya chini-kuruka mtazamo wa ndege, na katika moja ya haya ni <unk>mlinzi <unk>masharti<unk> au labda <unk>kitanda cha mlinzi wa mwamba mazishi<unk> au <unk>ita chochote unataka kwa sababu ambaye anajua<unk>. Jengo hilo lenye kuta tatu lina mandhari nzuri ya ngome na bonde linaloizunguka na ni mojawapo ya majengo machache yenye paa la nyasi lililorudishwa. Kwa mfano, kama paa la kawaida lilikuwa na umbo la kawaida, basi eneo la jiji lingekuwa tofauti. Nje tu, kuna "mwamba mkubwa wa mazishi", uliochongwa ndani ya madhabahu na kutumiwa kwa ajili ya kuhifadhi mwili na kuhifadhi mwili... au labda kutumiwa kwa ajili ya dhabihu za wanyama. Katika uwanja ulio karibu, mifupa kadhaa ilichimbuliwa ambayo ni sehemu ya sababu ya nadharia ya mimea. Katika hali hiyo, huenda kibanda hicho kilitumiwa pia katika mchakato wa kuhifadhi maiti. Bonde kavu hutenganisha majengo ya nje na maeneo ya kilimo na sehemu ya mijini. Kupitia lango kuu (ambalo lilitumiwa kuwa na mlango wenye utaratibu wa kufunga! Katika sehemu ya juu ya mji, kuna majengo ya msaada kama vile maghala na majengo ya umma na mabaki ya quarry ambayo pengine alitoa mengi ya mawe kwa ajili ya majengo. Ni karamu yenye kusisimua kama nini katika mji, sivyo? Lakini ni busara kuweka vitu muhimu karibu na lango la mji, kwa usalama (mfano wa Lara). Kuanguka kutoka miundo hii ni ambapo mambo kuanza kupata kuvutia. Haishangazi kwamba jengo la pekee zaidi katika jiji hilo ni Hekalu la Jua. Ina ukuta uliojipinda-pinda na mawe ya kifalme ya kawaida, na imejengwa juu ya mwamba mkubwa. Juu ya mwamba huo kulikuwa na madhabahu iliyotengenezwa kwa ajili ya dhabihu za wanyama (kuona wakati ujao katika matumbo yao... ick). Inca waliamini kuwa Inca alikuwa mzao wa mungu wa jua Inti, na kila mrithi alikuwa mwana wa Inca na dada yake. Inca waliwafanyia maiti mumia na kuwaona kama walikuwa bado hai, kwa hivyo chini ya hekalu kuna <unk>kaburi la kifalme<unk>, kimsingi pango ambapo inaaminika kwamba mumia ya Inca ilihifadhiwa. Baada ya Inca Pachacutec kufa, inawezekana kwamba mummy yake alileta nyuma Machu Picchu, kuweka chini ya hekalu la baba yake, na kupewa chakula na kinywaji (si uhakika kabisa kuhusu vifaa vya kwamba). Karibu na hekalu la jua kuna vyumba vya kifalme, ambavyo pia vinaitwa makao ya Wainka walio hai waliotengenezwa kabla ya kuhifadhiwa. Mto wa Machu Picchu ulianza kutiririka kutoka kwa nyumba ya Inca ili kupata maji safi zaidi, na kutoka hapo, maji hayo yaliingia katika chemchemi kadhaa za sherehe. Makao ni pamoja na eneo la kati patio kuzungukwa na vyumba viwili kubwa na viwili vidogo. Zaidi ya mgodi wa mawe na vyumba vya kifalme kuna eneo kuu takatifu la mji huo. Uwanja mdogo umezungukwa na mahekalu mawili na chumba kingine ambacho kingeweza kuwa makao ya kasisi. Unaweza kujua kwamba mahekalu hayo ni majengo muhimu kwa kutazama tu mawe yao yenye ubora. Maeneo matakatifu huendelea juu ya <unk>Sacred Hill<unk>. Kuna majengo zaidi yanayofanana na mahekalu yenye mawe ya hali ya juu, lakini tena, matumizi halisi ya kila nafasi hayajulikani. Juu ya Mlima Mtakatifu kuna mojawapo ya mawe pekee yaliyobaki ya "Intiwatana", au "kiunganishi cha jua". Jiwe hilo lililochongwa lilitumiwa wakati wa sherehe ya siku ya mapumziko ya majira ya baridi kali, Inti Raymi, ili kuunganisha jua na dunia kwa njia ya mfano. "Inti Raymi ni sherehe ya kumsihi Inti ""asijiache watu wake, asikaribie watu wake badala ya kuwa mbali nao.""" Pia, jiwe hilo lilitumiwa kupima mwaka wa jua na kufuatilia tarehe muhimu za jua kama vile equinoxes na solstices. Hata hivyo, haikuwa saa ya jua au saa ya jua. Wainka hawakuwa na saa kwa kuwa hawakupima siku kwa saa na dakika. Mlima huu pia ulikuwa makao ya makasisi. Aliweza kusimama juu sana juu ya uwanja mkuu na kuwahutubia watu waliokuwa wamekusanyika chini. Kwenye uwanja wa nyasi, mbele ya Huayna Picchu, kuna "Mwamba Mtakatifu". Ni wazi ni muhimu kwa sababu jiwe pedestal ilijengwa kuzunguka (ni utabiri wa asili wa mlima), lakini nini walikuwa watu kuabudu huko? Inasemekana inaweza kuonekana kama puma au nguruwe wa Guinea, lakini binafsi, siioni. Uwezekano mwingine ni kwamba ilikuwa tu uwakilishi wa kilele kitakatifu cha mlima. Milima iliaminiwa kuwa na roho ambazo zilionwa kuwa walinzi wa watu. Mimi nina kwenda kwenda na kwamba kwa sababu mimi kwa hakika unaweza kuona "mlima" katika mwamba huu. Hatimaye, kusonga nyuma kuelekea lango kuu lakini upande mwingine wa plaza kuu, kuna TONS ya majengo. Hizi zilikuwa vyumba vya wafanyakazi wa kusaidia, maghala, na maeneo mengine ya matumizi. Kuna vitu mbalimbali vya kupendeza vilivyotawanywa katika vyumba hivi, kutia ndani "vioo viwili vya maji". Wengine wanadhani kwamba zilitumiwa kutafakari anga la usiku na kujifunza nyota, lakini hiyo inaonekana kuwa ya kipumbavu kwa sababu kwa nini kutazama chini kwenye tafakari wakati unaweza kutazama juu kwenye kitu halisi? Oh vizuri, katika hatua hii, nini ni moja zaidi ya fumbo unsolved? Unapotoka, unapita katika mojawapo ya sehemu ninazopenda zaidi jijini. Sijui ilitumiwa kwa ajili ya nini... labda tu majengo zaidi ya msaada? Lakini sababu ninayopenda ni kwa sababu kuna miamba mikubwa kila mahali, na majengo yamejengwa ndani ya, juu ya, na kuzunguka. Ni baridi sana! Kuna moja hasa ambayo ni muhimu sana, Hekalu la Condor. Kuna mwamba mkubwa katikati ambayo kwa njia fulani inaonekana kama condor kutua? Kondori, puma, na nyoka walikuwa wanyama watakatifu kwa Wainka, kwa hiyo yaelekea ilikuwa mahali muhimu pa kidini. Wakati tulipokuwa karibu nusu ya njia kupitia ngome, sisi sote tulikuwa zaidi ya tayari kuiita siku. Mama na baba kweli alisema kabla hata sisi aliingia mji kwamba walijisikia kama wao tayari aliona kutosha. Nilisisitiza kwamba tuingie, lakini nilielewa uchovu wao. Tayari tulikuwa tumetembea sana! Tulitembea kupitia malango ya kutoka saa nane baada ya kuingia. Nane. Ni saa ngapi? Lakini tulifaulu! Tulipata uhai! Na tulifanya/kuona kila kitu tulichotaka kufanya/kuona ambacho ni cha kuvutia sana. Tulipokuwa tukisafiri kwa basi, tulikaa katika hoteli yetu hadi tulipofika kituo cha gari-moshi la Cusco. Tulikuwa tukisafiri kwa gari-moshi hadi mjini, badala ya kuhamia gari-moshi huko Ollantaytambo. Vizuri katika nadharia, lakini mimi pengine inapaswa kuwa inaonekana zaidi karibu katika ratiba. Ni wazimu. Kutoka Machu Picchu hadi Ollantaytambo, ni safari ya gari-moshi ya saa moja na nusu. Kusafiri kwenda Cusco kwa gari kutoka huko kunachukua masaa mawili. Kwa upande mwingine, gari-moshi lilichukua karibu SAA tatu. Kwa njia gani? Tafadhali angalia ramani iliyo hapa chini. Nilichora reli za gari-moshi kwa rangi ya bluu. Tulipohisi kwamba ilikuwa wakati wa safari kumalizika, tulimwita mhudumu wa gari-moshi na kumhoji ili apate majibu. Tulikuwa na nafasi ya kuona Cusco, na alisema bado itachukua angalau nusu saa kufika kituo cha gari. Nilikuwa nimechoka sana hivi kwamba karibu nililie. Alieleza kwamba ili kuingia ndani ya bonde hilo, gari-moshi hilo linashuka kupitia vijia kadhaa. Kubadilisha nyuma! Kwa ajili ya gari-moshi! Baada ya kukutana na mwisho wa gari, wanabadilisha reli, nyuma ya gari inakuwa mbele, na inaendelea hadi mwisho wa pili. Nilimtukana kwa Kihispania kwa jinsi hiyo ilivyokuwa upumbavu, naye akajisamehe mwenyewe na kutoroka kwa nafasi ya kwanza. Hata hivyo, hatimaye tulifaulu. """Wote tulikuwa tumechoka kukaa, kwa hiyo tulitembea dakika 15 hadi hoteli yetu na kuanguka." Kuzungumza juu ya siku ndefu. Inca Pachacutec na Historia ya Machu Picchu - Jifunze kuhusu Inca ambaye alijenga Machu Picchu na jinsi ilivyokuja kuwa Machu Picchu: Inca Bridge na Intipunku (Lango la Jua) - Chukua matembezi mawili kwa vipengele vya kuvutia karibu na ngome ya Machu Picchu - Njoo pamoja na ziara yangu ya kwanza ya Machu Picchu, ikiwa ni pamoja na kutembea juu ya Machu Picchu Mlima Ollantaytambo. Cusco: Qenko na Saqsayhuaman  wanavutiwa na baadhi ya kazi za mawe za Inca zenye kuvutia huko Saqsayhuaman