Sacsayhuamán

Cusco, Peru

Description

A massive Inca citadel on the northern outskirts of Cusco.

Sacsayhuaman is located about 10 minutes from the Plaza de Armas (by car) or 45 minutes walking. Another option is to take a ‘City Tour’, which includes transportation to this archaeological site. The entrance fee is included with the "Boleto Turistico" which is a ticket that gets you into the main archeological sites around Cusco and the Sacred Valley (130 soles).

The fortress is one of the largest structures we know of that the Inca built. Some of the massive stone blocks reach over 100 tons, and were transported to the site from a quarry over 2 miles away! It is estimated that over 20,000 workers were used the build the fortress, and

The walls are an incredible example of the stonemasonry of the Inca. Even today, researchers aren't sure how they managed to build massive walls with such precision.

While Sacsayhuaman is commonly referred to as a fortress, it was likely not used often and the main complex also includes temples, and shrines.

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