Sacsayhuamán, An Incredible Inca Fortress In Peru
Although there are doubts about the correct name, there are those who think that the correct name is only the original in Quechua: Saksaq Waman, Satisfied Falcon, although in the National Institute of Culture of Cuzco they call it Saqsaywaman, and touristically it is known as Sacsayhuamán .
The Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park is located on the top of a mountain, it covers approximately 3,000 hectares, in which there is a rich Andean fauna and flora, highlighting the presence of llamas, kestrels and hawks.
The mystery of the construction of Sacsayhuamán
Historians of the Spanish conquest attributed military purposes to it, which later became religious and finally a workplace. The walls are made up of huge stone blocks that reach up to 9 meters high, 5 meters wide and 4 meters thick. The largest is estimated to weigh 125 tons.
When visiting it, it is impossible not to wonder how these giant stones could have been brought there, in addition to the fact that the huge rocks were perfectly assembled without any use of mortar, which turns out to be a mystery studied by experts.
To build the fortress, the Inca rulers needed more than 70 years of work and the strength of 20 thousand men to remove stones from the quarries, transport them and place them one after another in such a precise way that to this day they cannot intrude between them. not even the tip of a pin
The main wall is made up of three successive zigzag walls, the second and the third superimposed on the first. The platforms are an average of 360 meters long and are connected by stairs and access doors. As for the Inca’s throne, it is surrounded by rocks in front of the bastions that dominate the esplanade and the “Rodadero”, a curious geological formation located on the same plateau.
Sacsayhuamán, witness of a lot of history
It is said that its construction began during the Pachacútec government and continued with Tupac Yupanqui, the main architect being Apu Huallpa Rimachi. Sacsayhuamán was the scene of important historical events, especially during the Spanish conquest.
After the Spanish conquest, the ceremony was suppressed by the Catholic Church, returning in 1944, when a group of Cusco intellectuals and artists decided to present the Inti Raymi as a theatrical spectacle, intended for the entire population of Cuzco. Since then, it has been represented every year, enriching and evolving as historical research advances.
Sacsayhuamán, Royal House of the Sun
Although Sacsayhuamán is popularly called “fortress”, it was actually a Royal House of the Sun, a temple dedicated to the solar cult. Descriptions of the richness of the interior decorations are very frequent, as well as the high quality and abundance of the objects kept in their rooms.
How to get to Sacsayhuamán
The archaeological park can be reached both on foot and by car. Walking, the tours take approximately 30 minutes, while by car it takes just 10 minutes. There are several routes, leaving from the Plaza de Armas in Cuzco, it is possible to go up the Cuesta del Almirante route, the Plateros route or the Swedish route, all of them present us with beautiful landscapes that are worth admiring.
If you travel to Cuzco, in Peru, you must include the fortress of Sacsayhuamán in your tour, you will be surprised by its colossal and mysterious construction, the beautiful landscapes of the surroundings and the surprising views of the city of Cuzco. Go ahead and get to know Sacsayhuamán!
