Pachamama
Journeys
the path of beauty
SACRED VALLEY OF THE INKAS
CHINCHERO

Chinchero, called "El Pueblo del Arco Iris" (the town of the rainbow), is high up on a
spectacular place, around 12,000 feet above sea level, with tremendous views of the
Urubamba mountain range as well as the majestic Salkantay mountain that reaches
almost 19,000 ft. Chinchero is halfway between the Sacred Valley and Cusco, to the
northwest of Cusco, at 28 km. (17.4 miles). The town of Hispanic architecture is built
on old Inka constructions. Its people are very conservative of some andean traditions,
wearing picturesque clothing. Also outstanding the textile crafts (crafts as well as local
produce).

There is a spectacular view of the valley and beautiful Andean landscapes surround
the town, outstanding the beauty of the snowy mountains Chicon and Veronica of the
Mountain Range of Urubamba. In Chinchero is a spectacular altar and ceremonial
places for mother earth (Pachamama).

Urubamba Valley: Less than one hour by bus northwest of Cusco lies the valley of the
Urubamba River. It's easy to see why the valley was considered sacred by the Inkas
with its spectacular panoramas and fertile alluvial low lands. The Urubamba Valley, is
one of the most fertile valleys in Peru, everything that is planted here grows with such
abnormal vigor - especially corn. The corn here grows approximately three times the
size of the corn grown in the U.S. and other parts of the world. This valley is located in
both sides of the river Vilcanota and their tributaries. The Inkas gave life to the stone
and they built urban centres, palaces, temples, agricultural constructions, and trails.

MORAY

In this archaeological site exist concentric agricultural terraces, some as deep as 150
meters. This "Earth's Navel" is thought to be a large agricultural laboratory where the
Inkas created different microclimates to grow a large variety of crops. Here we may
perform a metamorphosis ritual, attuning our body/mind with electromatnetic energy
from Earth's Navel. An important fact of the Inka's technology was that its works
harmonize perfectly with nature. They used the natural forces, they mastered
hydraulic engineering, and knew the use of the earth. For instance, thanks to the
"andenerías" (agricultural circular terracing) system, they could sow in abrupt places
and avoid the erosion. The attractiveness of this area can be distinguished for its
impressive landscape (nature and big snowy mountains), pleasant climate, fertile
lands with abundant water, megalithic cultural evidences, people and its traditions.

PISAC

Pisac is one of the most important Archaeological Sites in the Sacred Valley. It is
located about 30 Kms. (18.6 miles) Northwest of Cusco City. Possibly its name comes
from a type of partridge very common in the area known as "Pisaka". A vital Inka road
once snaked its way up the canyon that enters the Urubamba Valley at Pisac. The city,
at the entrance to this gorge site, controlled a route that connected the Inka Empire
with Paucartambo, on the border of the eastern jungles. Set high above a valley floor
patchworked by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing, the stonework and
panoramas at Pisac's Inka city are magnificent. Terraces, water ducts and steps have
been cut out of solid rock, and in the upper sector of the site, the main Sun Temple is
similar of the one in Machu Picchu. Above the temple lie still more buildings, and
among the higher crevices and rocky overhangs several ancient burial sites are
hidden.

Today it is still possible to observe the surrounding wall that protected the most
important zone of the Inka city. Moreover, inside the protected area are the vast
farming terraces that supplied enough food for its inhabitants in case of sieges or
conflicts; and there are also aqueducts that supplied water for agricultural
development. It seems that water for consumption of the inhabitants was harnessed on
the mountain's upper side and transported through underground channels.

Towards the West, on the irregular almost vertical surface of the mountain there is a
large amount of something like hollows: they are looted tombs of the pre-Hispanic
cemetery in the region. Today the cemetery is known as "Tantanamarka", and
according to some estimates it must have contained about 10,000 tombs. In the Inkan
belief it was stated that once persons died they began a newer life.

When the invaders arrived they soon knew that inside the Inkan tombs they could also
find jewels of precious stones and metals, thus they began with their diabolical
profanation and pillaging of ancient Peruvians' tombs. That is why that cemetery in
Pisac contains mostly looted tombs and some mummies without their jewels and
personal elements.

Intiwatana (inti = sun, watana = year) is the most important district in Pisac. It
corresponds to the ceremonial core or spiritual complex of the city that has the best
quality constructions; that is, with polished-joint carved stones that have a rectangular
outer surface. Its location on the mountain's upper section is superb and dominates
visually a great territory of the valley, this sector must have been constituted by
diverse temples. In the complex's central part is a semicircular building with one lateral
straight wall which main gate is toward the south, by deduction and analogy with other
similar buildings it is established that this was the Sun Temple in Pisac. By the middle
of this building is the altar carved in the in-situ rock, with a central interrupted conical
protuberance that is known as "Intiwatana" ("Solar Meter", a "Saywa" or "Sukanka")
and must have been used for allowing observation of the solar movements with the
help of some
other elements or carved angles that served as "pegs" for calculating the shadow
projections. The altar served to carry out different ceremonies and celebrations to the
Sun.

Descending the Sun Temple stairway, farther to the southwest side is another
interrupted conical carving that was surely used in a close relationship with the
"Intiwatana". Even farther down to the west is a carved stone altar and a "stepping
symbol" sculpted in the natural rock representing the three stages of the Andean
World: the heaven, the earthly world and the subsoil. That sculpture was possibly
used as a help element for solar observations too.

The colonial town named Pisac (2,970m) in the lower part of the valley was
established as consequence of the famous "Indians Reductions" by which the
Quechuas were joined in small towns. The Pisac Market, happens now in this modern
and picturesque Andean Village, which is best known for its market, which draws
hundreds of tourists. In spite of its popularity the market retains much of its local
charm, at least in the part where villagers from miles around gather to barter and sell
their produce. In the tourist section of the market you can buy a wide variety of
handicrafts - mostly the same things you see in Cusco.

OLLANTAYTAMBO

The sanctuary of Ollantaytambo is located at the province of Urubamba. Here is an
amazing architectural wonder, built by solar masters. The town is about 76 Kms. (47.2
miles) away from Cusco by the road of Chinchero - Urubamba and about 68 kilometers
(42.2 miles) by railway at an altitude of 2700 meters (8856 feet). It is a very vast
complex which central part is in the town and its surroundings; there is a large amount
of farming terraces that are part of he complex. Those terraces are deteriorated and
most of them abandoned. The water that irrigated them does not flow any more. Their
stone aqueducts that were a master work of engineering were extended by many
kilometers; but, today they do not exist any more. The reason is that today no one is
preoccupied with keeping them and because we had almost five centuries in which the
invaders were not interested in agriculture but only in mining gold and silver.

Ollantaytambo is a compound Quechua word that is derived from " Ollanta" that is a
personal name, and " Tambo" that is a Spanish form of " Tampu" that refers about a
city that offered lodgings, food and comfort for travellers. "Ollanta" was the name of an
Inka general whose history was kept as an oral tradition. The Ollantay Drama is
considered as a classical work of Quechua literature.
Ollantaytambo was a very important sanctuary, it also was a "tampu" in order to
enable control of the roads toward the "Antisuyo" (jungle). Today, still some people
name this sanctuary as "fortress", which in practice is improper and we will need more
space to explain all this. Besides, for the noble population dwelling in this city there
was a very ample and well planned urban sector, a plaza surrounded by important
buildings and toward the town's South an impressive "Kallanka"; that is, a building
which dimensions are colossal and completely roofed. It served as a lodge and
perhaps also as barracks for the army of the region.

The present-day town is located in the same site where the urban sector was in Inkan
times. It is really interesting because here it is possible to find people living in the
same buildings that served as homes for the nobility of the Inkan Society. Some of its
narrow streets still keep their water channels where water flowed; they are by the
middle or at one side. The streets still maintain their Inkan names. The town was
divided in rectangular blocks with a very well planned geometrical layout giving the
impression of being a town designed by modern architects. Every block was
compound of two "kanchas" (patio, little plaza); the street gates had double jamb
doorways which indicate that those were real palaces with rooms around a central
patio. At least the lower part of the buildings is original and made with "pirka" type
walls that were covered with a clay coat and possibly also had mural paintings. Today,
their thatched roofs were replaced by red tiles and it is possible to breath a certain air
of modernity as the town has electricity and tap water; but in short, the town has still
an Inkan taste. Some decades ago in Ollantaytambo, a worldwide meeting of the
"Andean" representatives was carried out and they declared this town as the " World
Capital of Indianity". By that time there were some efforts willing to help for an effective
conservation of original structures; in practice, it is so little what was and is done for
that purpose, and it is so sad to prove that many of its innate elements are being lost
slowly.

Towards the town's east is the Pinkuylluna hill (pinkuyllo = wind musical instrument
similar to the "quena" or Andean flute) where an imposing huge building stands out
and about which there is a lot of myth. Some very imaginative "scholars" argue that it's
been a school, a hospital some others, jail others, and even a hurling precipice!;
according to archaeology and the Inkan architectonic characterization it was a
"Qollqa", that is, a granary or storehouse for food, clothing and other elements. It has
many doorways and openings that allowed ventilation, and surely they were built up
there to enable protection of the stored goods. Likewise, some other smaller buildings
are located in outstanding spots or angles of the mountain that served as watchtowers
for controlling movement of persons in the valley.

Toward the western end of the town and crossing the Patakancha (Upper Enclosure)
stream is the great Plaza known as Mañay Raqay (Pleas Plaza) which seem to keep its
original name, surrounded by sun-dried mud-brick buildings that were very important
in their epoch. Towards the west of this plaza is the entrance to the Temples;
somewhat higher is the spot of the most important temple: the Sun Temple that was
constructed with huge red porphyry (pink granite) boulders. What is left of the Sun
Temple are some peripheral walls and the classical major wall that according to most
historians is part of the High Altar. It consists of six enormous stone blocks which
average weight is about 60 tons and have as vertical joints some other smaller stones
making a wall. It seems that this is a projection of the Tiwanaku architecture or
possibly the architects were brought from the region of the Titikaka lake; but the final
work is entirely Inkan with joints and outer surfaces complete and finely polished and
glazed so that they could even serve as mirrors.

On the external surface of the fourth boulder (beginning in the Southern end), there
are carved stepped symbols. Even more, there are some other carved bulges that
were broken. It is evident the presence of the "idolatries extirpators" who destroyed
the Sun Temple; nowadays, the stones that were part of this fabulous temple are all
over the place, over the terraces, by the plaza surroundings, in the church and curate
house, and wherever a person looks with care.

Toward the north of the temple´s entrance gate is a series of water fountains that
because of their location must have performed duties of "Ceremonial Fountains", that
is, used in order to honour the water elementary. There is one inside a mud brick
square building where water still flows; toward the east of it there is another one
baptized by tradition as the "Baño de la Ñusta" ("Princess's Bath") that shows stepped
mouldings in its surface below the spillway. Farther north there are also many other
fountains constituting a vast temple dedicated to the cult of "Unu" (water). Nearby is
the sector that today has the hybrid name of " Inka Misana" (spot where the Inka says
mass) that shows an aqueduct carved in the mountain rock face and a liturgical
fountain, small stairways, double jamb niches or false openings capriciously sculpted
in the mountain surface. On the upper area there is a carved conical bulge that was
surely another "Intiwatana" (Solar Meter); more over, there are diverse mouldings
which were part of a complex solar observatory used to measure the Sun variations
during the year as well as for fixing solstices and equinoxes.
RAQCHI

On the road from Cusco to Puno in the town of Raqchi lies an Inkan city-temple,
dedicated to the most important entity Wiracocha. Raqchi is found on the right bank of
the Vilcanota River, at an altitude of 3500 mts. (11500 ft.). Apparently its pre-Hispanic
name was "Cacha" and not "Raqchi". Raqchi was a complex village with multiple
constructions for various purposes; including farming terraces, "kanchas" (plazas),
"wayranas" (buildings having only 3 walls), "qolqas" (storehouses), different shrines,
water fountains, etc.

The most important building within the complex is the "Wiraqocha Temple", built by
Inka Wiraqocha in homage to the Superior Invisible Entity of Andean people: "Apu Kon
Titi Wiracocha". The shrine was built after the appearance of a man who began
performing miracles, and the village inhabitants decided to stone him to death. After
searching for him, they found him knelt with arms extended skyward. Immediately, a
fire rain fell. With remorse the men left him free. That strange man went toward the
coast and submerged into the ocean waters, disappearing forever. Thereafter, a
shrine was constructed in his memory, as well as the sculpture of a stone
representation. Concerning the fire rain, it may have been an eruption of the presently
extinguished volcano "Kinsach'ata." There is a great quantity of dried lava (volcanic
rock) around the area.

The "Wiraqocha Temple" is a grandiose construction for its era. Architectonically it is
classified as "kallanka"; that is, a large building completely covered with a thatched
roofing (wood and "ichu").