Peruvian Adventure 2000
by Valerie Jenkins


Itinerary Notes from September 12, 2000
Tambomachay

It was an Inca sanctuary dedicated to the cult of the water, and it was a reserved place for the Inca. It is known as the "Baños del Inca" (Inca's spa). Construction of fine lithic finishes and high domain of the hydraulic engineering. 

It is a group of walls, united by stairs, with springs that fall to a puddle through channels. The fall of water that gets the attention in these ruins part from the terrace of the second wall and the drainage spill on the first where a small puddle is found. 

The window sills, hole or niches of 2 m. height, was the place from where according to the historians, the Inca and the important people of his court subdue cult to the god Inti (sun) with rites of water. 

It is located at 8 km. of the Main Square. 

Keno

Sanctuary dedicated to the adoration of animals, ruins formed by a rocky place with stairs in zigzag, it has a main building like a circular amphitheatre where 19 window sills are located as a way of seats. 

It is presumed that this place was an adoration place, supporting this presumption the presence of an enormous stone block of 5.9 m. height that has the appearance of a puma. There is labyrinth entrance toward underground galleries, passages, channels, and stairs with signs of a remote culture; these reveal a series of drawings and engravings outstanding the figures of pumas. 

It is located at 4 km. of the Main Square, following the way to Sacsahuamán.

Puca Pucará

Inca archaeological location, located in the peak of a hill, was a military position and an administrative center. 

For its proximity to Tambomachay, it is believed that it had relationship with its defense, as well as the control of the route to Calca that led to the Antisuyo (Forest county of the Inca). 

It is a fortification formed by platforms, stairs, passages, turrets, windowsills and a wall that defends the whole construction in a circular shape. 

It is located at 7 km. of the Main Square.

Sacsahuamán

Inca architectural masterpiece. Impressive megalithic ruins located in the peak of a hill that dominates the north of the city. The historians of the Spanish conquest attributed it military purposes that then became religious, and finally a place of work. 

The walls are formed by enormous stone blocks that reach up to 9 m.  height, 5 m. width and 4 m. thickness. The biggest is calculated to have a weight of 125 tons; the visitor will wonder how they have been taken there. The union of the enormous rocks was assembled in a perfect way without use of cement. The main wall is constituted by three successive walls in zigzag, the second and the third superimposed to the first one. 

The platforms have an average of  360 m. length and communicate by stairs, and access doors. The throne of the Inca is surrounded by rocks in front of the ramparts that dominate the esplanade and the "rodadero" (circular place), located in the same plateau. 

Sacsahuamán was scenario of important historical facts, especially during the Spanish conquest. Every year the evocation to the Inti Raymi is celebrated there. 

It is located at 3 km. of the Main Square and you can arrive there walking.