Most modern archaeologists and historians coincide that Machu Picchu was built by the Inca Pachacutec, the greatest statesman in Tahuantinsuyo, who governed from aproximately 1438 to 1471. Archaeologists infer that the citadel's construction dates from the fifteenth century approximately, a date confirmed by carbon 14 (radioactive carbon dating).
Machu Picchu's construction coincides with the start of the expansion of the small feudal kingdom of the Incas. According to archaeologists, the final battle defining the Incas' victory over the Chancas, a prestigious victory that gave much power to Inca Pachacutec, was fought in this area. Pachacutec was the first Inca to expand beyond the valley of Cusco after his epic victory over the Chancas. He was the author of Tahuantinsuyo's expansion and is recognized as the "constructor" of Cusco. This was one of his greatest works.
Built as a refuge for the elite of Inca aristocracy, the fortress was located on the eastern slope of the Vilcanota Cordillera, some 80 km from Cusco, the capital of the empire. Its strategic geographic location was amazingly well chosen.
Occupied by at least three generations of Incas, the fortress of Machu Picchu was abandoned in a sudden and mysterious way. The most likely theories explain its disappearance from historical memory by the fact that its existence was unknown to the lower castes, and all but the small circle of the Inca's immediate retinue were forbidden to approach it.
Pachacutec's conquests included the valley of Tampu, that was inhabited by a sister tribe to the Cusco, but one that did not escape its all-encompassing rule. Due to its natural beauty and mild climate (one of the best in the Andes), as well as its fertile soil, Tampu was chosen by Pachacutec as the seat of the new imperial nobility, and the valley was embellished with several of Tahuantinsuyo's most attractive cities, such as Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu.
The choice of Machu Picchu's site must have been made with great care, because it was, and still is, the ideal place to locate a center for worship. According to researcher Antonio Zapata, it is located in a mountain chain of sacred significance, starting at Salcantay (the apu, or great spirit) and ending in Huayna Picchu.
It was a privileged spot to view the heavens and the movements of sun and stars, which were the deities of the Incas. Moreover, according to his research, there was a nearby quarry supplying white granite of very fine quality.
MACHUPICCHU FINAL DAYS
Judging from the remains found in this Inca city, in its heyday the population numbered several thousand inhabitants. Just as did every other important llacta, Picchu possessed an acllawasi -house of the chosen maidens-, an intiwatana - sundial, also showing the seasons of the year-, kallancas -barracks for the warriors-, bath houses and aqueducts, as well as large terraced areas for crop growing.
102 skeletons of the 164 mummified corpses found in an archaeological excavation carried out by the Bingham expedition were female, a fact indicating the existence of the aqllawasi -house of the chosen maidens, the Inca's "harem"-, who were considered to be "brides of the Sun". They escaped from Cusco before the Spaniards arrived. The other theory is that Machu Picchu was almost exclusively inhabited by women.
Many modern scholars suggest that, as the heir to the throne had to be the son of the Inca and one of his sisters, a large number of these women were also the wives of the Inca. He was a living god, in view of the fact that he was considered to be the "son of the Sun". Thus, the Inca lived on his land, in the company of his wives. It was considered normal for an Inca to have hundreds of concubines.
Historical records show, for example, that Wayna Capac, father of Huascar and Atahualpa, had more than 400 children. Nevertheless, his main wife must have been his own sister, because only thus could the "blood line of the Sun" be preserved.
Even today, the reasons leading to the disappearance of Machu Picchu's population are unknown, although some logical hypotheses have been put forward.
One of these is that a sudden epidemic led to the abandoning of the fortress. This theory is supported by the fact that it was built in a humid area infested by insects. Even during the first few decades of the twentieth century there were frequent epidemics in this area, especially of malaria.
It is also argued that it was ordered closed and had to be abandoned after the death of the ruler that built and lived in the city, although this is contradicted and invalidated by the evidence that it was inhabited by at least three generations of Incas.
Another theory argues that on one occasion the Antis -groups of Amazonian Indians-, the Inca's worst enemies, reached this spot and decimated the population. The only sure fact is that Machu Picchu was closed, abandoned and forgotten until the first few years of the twentieth century.
Very possibly, however, after the Spanish conquest, and coupled with the collapse of the greatest of the empires in pre-Columbian America, the city lost its "raison d'etre". Once Atahualpa, the last Inca emperor, had been murdered at Pizarro's hands, there was no longer a need for a safe haven for the "chosen maidens".
Moreover, the amazing works of architecture and hydraulic engineering were of no interest to the rough "conquerors", and the high mountain and jungle roads would only have been useful for them had they led to sources of gold and precious minerals. Thus, Machu Picchu was lost to human memory for three long centuries.
DISCOVERY OF MACHUPICCHU
Contrary to the the official history, Augustine Lizárraga, a land owner of aguas calientes near to Machupicchu, was the first one that arrived to Machu Picchu on July 14, 1902, with three peasants, friends of him, who had left carved their names on the walls of the Temple of the Three Windows.
Nevertheless, the North American Hiram Bingham was considered the discoverer of the “loss city of the Inca”. Bingham was in Cuzco studying the era of the Inca of Vilcabamba when he heard talks of the discovery of Lizárraga and arrived at the ruins of Machupicchu city on June 24, 1911. In it, he found two families of peasants living there, who utilized the old terraces to cultivate. Bingham was guided by one of the children of the families to the urban zone, that was covered by the forest.
Surprised by what he saw, Bingham negotiated a patronage from Yale University, the Peruvian government and the National Geographic Society for the study of the ruins, where he dedicated to analyze its history and all the relics found in the abandoned temples. In 1913 an article was published on Machu Picchu in the National Geographic magazine, hoarding the attention of the world scientific community.
It fits to emphasize, once more, that Machu Picchu was never itself “lost”, but was outside of the sphere of influence of the Crown of Spain during the Virreynato of Peru. Hiram Bingham was a key player in its enhancement on a worldwide basis, since he was the first person in recognizing the importance of its ruins, study them and divulge the finds to the scientific community.
TOURS TO MACHUPICCHU.
(WE CAN ARRANGE AND FIT THE PROGRAMS ACCORDING WITH THE TIME YOU HAVE FOR YOUR VACATION, CONSIDER THIS PROGRAM LIKE A SAMPLE, WE RECOMMEND YOU HIGHLY TO CONTACT US, FOR A TAILOR MADE SCHEDULE FOR YOU)
DAY 01. - CUSCO. - (CITY TOUR)
Reception at the Velasco Astete airport in Cusco, assistance and transfer to the selected hotel, where they will be waiting for you with an aromatic coca tea, that helps to prevent altitude sickness.
Once installed in the hotel, you will have the rest of the morning free.
Between 1:45 and 2:00 pm will begin the guided tour through the city, where you will have the opportunity to visit 6 sites, the first "Qoricancha" (golden place), currently Santo Domingo Convent, a place that keeps Inside one of the most important religious centers of the Inca period, the Cathedral, a place that has religious paintings of the Cusqueña School being in number about 300, among other expressions of art. Then visit to the surrounding areas of Cusco City, to visit 4 places that have remained intact over the years and have been used by the Incas for different activities; Sacsahuaman (puma’s head) majestic place, with impressive works in stone, been the heaviest 120 tons, carried by workers from remote Inca quarries, a place where the famous Inti Raymi or Festival of the Sun is celebrated every year, Qenqo (laberinth), and finally Pucapucara Tambomachay, place dedicated to the water.
End of the tour and return to the hotel.
DAY 02.- TOUR TO MACHU PICCHU
Breakfast at the hotel, pick up and transfer to Ollantaytambo or Poroy train station to board the train that will take us to Machupicchu Town ( Aguas Calientes). Once you arrive you have to walk towards the bus station to board them, they will take you to the top of the mountain on a ride that lasts 25 minutes, and then the guided tour will star in the Historic Sanctuary. Once the tour is finish will have time for lunch and explore the area on your own.
End of tour
Return to the City of Cusco.
Overnight Hotel.
DAY 03. - Transfer to the Airport
Breakfast at the hotel, assistance and transfer to the airport.
End of our services.
INCLUDED
- Transfers in / out Airport / Hotel / Airport
- Hotel Accommodation
- Specified food in the itinerary
- Entrance ticket that includes all the visit mentioned in the package
- Train Ticket to Machupicchu roundtrip.
- Bus ticket, round trip. (Town of Machu Picchu)
- Entrance ticket to Machupicchu. (I.N.C.)
- Guided tour.
- Personal attention.
NOT INCLUDED
- Lunch in Machu Picchu
- Payment for excess baggage
- Local calls, national or international
- Personal services like laundry, and others not specified in the itinerary.
(*) Rates of INC, Consetur, BTG, Cathedral, Qoricancha are subject to change.
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