HOSTAL LORETO

The city doesn't probably call this way in the Inca times.Machupicchu was discovered July 24 1911 by the American historian, Hiram Bingham (alone it was the scientific discoverer) because the city had already been visited by the course of the century and even two rural families lived in its proximity cultivating some of its platforms.

he Machupicchu archaeological complex is located in the department of Cusco, in the Urubamba province and district of Machupicchu. It is perched on the eastern slopes of the Vilcanota mountain range, a chain of mountains curtailed by the Apurimac and Urubamba Rivers. At latitude 13ş7' South and longitude 72035' West of the Greenwich Meridian, Machupicchu is located at a height of 2,350 meters above sea level

Machupicchu is located in a subtropical zone, or dense wood, the reason why the climate is mild, warm and damp, with an average year-round temperature of 80°F during the day. One can perceive two distinct seasons during the year: the rainy season from November to March, which is a time of heavy rains. Visitors are advised to dress accordingly during this season. The dry season from April to October brings on higher temperatures.

FAUNA AND FLORA the Both are abundant and varied. Typical plant life in the historic reserve of Machupicchu includes pisonayes, q'eofias, alisos, puya palm trees, ferns and more than 90 species of orchids.

The fauna in the reserve includes the spectacled bear, cock-of-the-rocks or "tunqui", tankas, wildcats and an impressive variety of butterflies and insects unique in the region.

The lie of the land, the natural surroundings and the strategic location of Machupicchu lend this monument a fusion of beauty, harmony and balance between the work of the ancient Peruvians and the whims of nature.

The citadel is divided into two sectors: the agricultural (terracing) and the urban, where there are main squares, temples, palaces, storehouses, workshops, stairways, cables and water fountains which run through both sectors, which measure 20 and 10 hectares respectively.

It is clear that the architectural design was based on Cusco, the capital of the Inca empire. Machupicchu was built according to its natural surroundings, with its constructions following the natural curves and dips and rises in the land.

The archaeological excavation that took place after Bingham discovered the ruins showed the land was previously given granite foundations with little surrounding soil.

The agricultural and urban sectors are split by a dry ditch, the result of a geographic fault line.

The following chapters describe the most important constructions in each sector.

THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR is surrounded by a series of terraces of different types and sizes which had two main functions: to grow crops and halt the erosion caused by the rains. The most eye-catching terraces lie at the entrance to the citadel. They begin at the cluster of rooms located at the entrance and climb up to the top of the mountain until they stop at a large rectangular room.It is clear that the upper terraces at the entrance were meant for agricultural purposes as they have raised steps and are much wider. The lower terraces, meanwhile, have different shapes because they were built as foundations.There are no canals as they were not necessary, as the constant rains and ever-present humidity allowed the plants to grow without irrigation. The only water channel that flows through the urban sector crosses through the central terrace.In the agricultural sector there are five rooms that look like Chincheros and Ollantaytambo storerooms.

Position of the vigilant in the high of the agricultural sector

This is made up of a three-walled room with a view with several windows, which can be found in front of the main gateway. There is a go panorama from here of the agricultural and urban sectors and the surrounding landscape. It is a good idea to take photos from this angle as it gives the visitor a good view of the complex.

The Urban Sector; While the agricultural sector is cut short by a dry ditch, one can see a long stairway that leads to the front gate.
This sector houses the most important constructions of any Inca city, where one can appreciate the talent, effort and quality of the pre-Hispanic builders, as the constructions are entirely made of granite, a very hard rock that is different from that used in Cusco.

The city is U-shaped. In the northern section there is the great religious sector containing the temples, to the South there are the houses and workshops on platform terraces that Bingham called the Military Group. The main buildings in the Urban Sector are the following:

Temple of the Sun This construction is shaped like a semi-circle and built on solid rock, an existing granite block shaped to blend with the natural curves, with a diameter of 10.50 meters. It is composed of highly polished polyhedrons. There are two trapezoidal windows in this building with protruding knobs at every comer, and on the north side there is a carefully-sculpted door with bored holes in the doorjamb, very similar to the Qoricancha temple in Cusco. The Spanish historians relate there were once gold and precious jewels encrusted in the door. To the West of the temple there is a rectangular patio with nine ceremonial doorways alternating with prism-shaped studs.

The Intiwatana

This stone is located on a hill made up of several terraces. The visitor can gain access to the stone via 78 well-crafted steps. At the end of the staircase one enters an open patio with walls equally well-sculpted, and where one can see an upper platform where there is a granite rock sculpted into three steps. In the central part one can see a rectangular prism that is 36cm high and which is pointing from North-West to South-East.Its four corners are directed to the four cardinal points. The Intiwatana had specific functions: it measured time (the solstice and the equinox) by using sunlight and shadow, and also served as an altar. In Quechua, "Inti" means "sun" and "Wata" means "year", thereby giving us the meaning of a solar year observatory.

The Sacred Rocks

Is located in a four-sided spot flanked by two three-sided rooms, features a monolithic rock sculpture which is 3cm high and 7m wide at its base. The pedestal, which is approximately 30cm high, resembles a feline. From another angle, It looks like the profile of a mountain near Machupicchu. It is possible that this cluster of constructions, together with two "Wayranas", or three-sided rooms, were used for rituals

The Temple of the three windows

It is located West of the main square, has a large rectangular floor. Its name comes from the fact its main face has three windows and two blind bays. Together with the main temple, this is the most impressive architecture in all of Machupicchu. The enormous polyhedrons have been carved and joined with millimetric precision.

In front of the Wayrana-style construction, on the large doorjamb next to the central column that holds up the roof, there is a sculpted lithograph with carefully polished molds and flat parts.

Hot Springs

At a distance of 800m East of the town of Aguas Calientes, there are underground hot sulfur springs which bubble up from the rocky ground at varying temperatures.The especially-built pools at this resort are the basis of its use as hot mineral baths. The average temperature of the water runs from 38şc to 46şc. There are also changing rooms, bathrooms and a small snack bar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE TO MACHUPICCHU

There are 112krn of railway line between the city of Cusco and the station of Puente Ruinas or Machupicchu. The trip starts in the station of San Pedro in Cusco, zig-zagging up the Picchu mountain until it reaches the highest point, a spot called "El Arco" (the arch), in the northwest part of the city.

- The route then descends to the villages of Poroy, Cachimayo and lzcuchaca until it reaches the Anta plains, an extensive cattle area. It climbs down the gully of Pomatales before descending to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, arriving at the station of Pachar. The route then crosses the Urubamba River to the right bank and arrives at the station of Ollantaytambo. For those who arrived here by the asphalt road of the Sacred Valley, one can board the train to continue to Machupicchu.

RAIL TRANSPORT

Tourist Train, It only operates in the high season, leaving Cusco in the morning, stopping at the most important stations (Ollantaytambo, Km.88 or Ooriwayrachina) until it arrives at the station of Puente Ruinas. The trip takes four hours and returns in the evening.

Autovagon, This tourist service leaves Cusco in the morning and takes three hours. The trip from The Sacred Valley of the Incas (Urubamba to Ollantaytambo) takes 1,1/2 hours. It returns in the evening.

It is recommended to check all timetables in train stations and travel agencies, as they are modified according to the season.