Machu Piccu

Machu Piccu

High in the Andes Mountains of Peru

In this view of Huayna Piccu, to the left, you are looking across the 
main and secular squares.

Unbelievable and remarkable are two words that instantly come to mind when talking about Machu Piccu.  The Incas built these structures over 500 years ago.  At an altitude of over 8000 feet above sea level, Machu Piccu was constructed in about 50-60 years and was never discovered by the Spaniards.  The amazing stone work, most of it done without any mortar, used techniques that defied the elements and the earthquakes. Keeping in mind that all the grades of the mountains surrounding Machu Piccu are pretty much what you see here, the Incas used the rock on top of the mountain for their resources to expertly shape and cut the stone to precise measures.  And the whole city was built without the use of the wheel.

View from just outside the guard house

Looking across the dry moat with the royal chambers just beyond

Stone work without mortar

Temple of the Sun

Looking across main square

Section of Temple of the Three Windows

Wall in Principal Temple 

The ever changing weather over the mountain peak of Huayna Piccu

Inca Trail to the Sun Gate

Here we are in the nose bleed section

All images ©2017 Bard Wrisley