Not only is Machu Picchu one of the most important archaeological sites in South America, filled with historical mysteries, but it also boasts stunning views from the Peruvian Andes mountain range, 2,450 meters above sea level. Machu Picchu, in one of the Peruvian dialects, stands for Old Mountain and that is the name of the peak where the city is located.
Similar to most tropical locations, the season in Machu Picchu is divided into a rainy season which starts at October and ends on April the next year, and a dry season for the remainder of the year.
At the valley below the Incan city snakes the Urubamba River whose meandering path through the centuries carved cliffs some as high as 450 meters. The menacing cliffs plus the extreme elevation of the city made it a secret to the Spanish conquistadores who were searching in vain for the gold treasures of the fabled city of El Dorado. It was only through an Inca rope bridge at the Pongo de Mainique where a secret entrance to Machu Picchu for the exclusive use of the Inca army was found. Another bridge was found in a narrow gap between the river gorge.
It was formed by a felled tree trunk but the bridge could be easily set aside to discourage invaders. The tree trunk bridge was the only other access across the cliff whose sides drop almost 570 meters down into the river below.
The ancient city is situated in a saddle between two mountains important to Inca culture. While the other mountain was already named Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu, which stands for Young mountain, is the other peak that nestles the ancient monument. Machu Picchu was by all means a self contained city.
It had a reliable water supply thanks to the ice fed rivers that flow along the Andes and enough level land for agriculture. Terraced hillsides added to the total amount of arable land and at same time made the slopes harder to ascend if ever invaders chose that path. Machu Picchu was a veritable fortress with easily defensible entrances. One entrance was the Sun Gate which traverses the mountains and leads to Cusco, the other was the Inca bridge.
Similar to most tropical locations, the season in Machu Picchu is divided into a rainy season which starts at October and ends on April the next year, and a dry season for the remainder of the year.
At the valley below the Incan city snakes the Urubamba River whose meandering path through the centuries carved cliffs some as high as 450 meters. The menacing cliffs plus the extreme elevation of the city made it a secret to the Spanish conquistadores who were searching in vain for the gold treasures of the fabled city of El Dorado. It was only through an Inca rope bridge at the Pongo de Mainique where a secret entrance to Machu Picchu for the exclusive use of the Inca army was found. Another bridge was found in a narrow gap between the river gorge.
It was formed by a felled tree trunk but the bridge could be easily set aside to discourage invaders. The tree trunk bridge was the only other access across the cliff whose sides drop almost 570 meters down into the river below.
The ancient city is situated in a saddle between two mountains important to Inca culture. While the other mountain was already named Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu, which stands for Young mountain, is the other peak that nestles the ancient monument. Machu Picchu was by all means a self contained city.
It had a reliable water supply thanks to the ice fed rivers that flow along the Andes and enough level land for agriculture. Terraced hillsides added to the total amount of arable land and at same time made the slopes harder to ascend if ever invaders chose that path. Machu Picchu was a veritable fortress with easily defensible entrances. One entrance was the Sun Gate which traverses the mountains and leads to Cusco, the other was the Inca bridge.
Machu Picchu
View from the Incan city
No comments:
Post a Comment