Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary
From Wiki Sumaq Peru
Historical sanctuary of Machu Picchu
The Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, includes an area of 32.592 Hectares (80.535 acres); and in is the internationally well-known Ciudadela of Machu Picchu, which is the maximum expression of which Inca was left to us by the culture.
Machu Picchu, in quechua is written Machu pikchu; and means “old mountain”, is one ciudadela constructed during the time of the Inca Empire in Peru. She is one of the most important architectonic and archaeological jewels of the Incas. It is that glorious, sensational, the artistic one and sagrada ciudadela of Machu Picchu also represents an icon of Peru and of the Andean region, that, besides to count with important archaeological rest, lodges a flora and peculiar fauna.
At the present time we can appreciate that in a landscape of such incredible natural beauty was richly constructed a modeled city and to construct it the architects of Machu Picchu they knew to reunite estoque of stones and to fit them in highly mountainous declivities in harmony.
Basic information
Category: Historical sanctuary Date of Creation: 08 of January of 1981 Law of Creation: Supreme decree Nº 001-81-AA Surface: 32 592 hectares Location: Province of Urubamba, department of Cuzco. Region: Yungas Peruvian, humid Puna of central the Andes. Temperatures: 6ºC to 24ºC Climate: Rainy during every month of summer (of December to March). Sunny between May and September.
Location
The Sagrada city of Machu Picchu is located 130 kilometers to the northwest of Cuzco, in the crest of Machu Picchu which is in the district of Machu Picchu valley of Urubamba 2,200 meters above sea level. The location of Ciudadela was a military secret, because deep precipices on the brink of madness an abyss and rustic mountains were the best natural defense. According to its geographical coordinates:
South latitude: between 13º 10´ 19 " and 13º 14´ 00 " West longitude: between 72° 30 ' 5 " and 72° 36 ' 33 "
Creation
The Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu was established January 8, 1981 according to the Supreme Decree N° 021-81-AA for the necessity to protect the valuable vestiges of the pre-Hispanic time, jointly emphasizing present archaeological monuments and their landscaping frame, as well as the species of native flora and associated fauna to the region. In 1983 UNESCO declared cultural and natural patrimony of the humanity.
Climate
Rainy during every month of summer (of December to March). Sunny between May and September, although still rain showers are not rare. The maximum temperature reachs about 27° C.
Origin of the name
Machu Picchu (like almost all the names of Quechua origin in the region) is a compound word that comes from Machu: old, and pikchu: summit or mountain (in Quechua it is masculine); therefore Machu Picchu is translated like “summit or old mountain”. The famous mountain that is observed opposite and appeared in the classic views of the place is denominated Huayna Picchu or “young mountain”. Unfortunately, the names of origin of the sectors in mention have been lost; Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu and other founded names today that are contemporary, apparently assigned at the colonial time.
Function
By its location, strategically established for its protection; by the amount of temples that are here, by the architectonic quality of such and the little amount of departments for extended families; in this origin, it was a center of being able regional employee of the Qosqo, that is to say that it was a small political and religious capital. Surely it served as mulberry for the Inca or a dignitary of the capital with a very high rank and for a select nobility who had many privileges and was surrounded by hundreds of crew members.
Many modern archaeologists and historians settle down that he was commanded to construct and used by the Inka Pachakuteq that was the greatest statesman of the Tawantinsuyo and governed as of 1438. For that asseveration the chronological date given by carbon 14, its doubtless architectonic style “Imperial Inka”, the predominant ceramics, and a pair of found old chronicles in archives of the Qosqo is taken into account. The archaeological and architectonic evidence totally reject the possibility of a pre-Inkásica occupation in this sector.
According to the constructions that are in the Inkásica city, normally one calculates that its population in its apogee was of thousand people. The osteologo John W. Summer establishes in a last study of momias found by the expedition of Bingham that existed a relative balance between the masculine and feminine population, rejecting therefore the theory from the study of George Eaton whom ambiguously indicated that 80% of that population were women and who in Machupicchu was an important “Aqllawasi” or the house of “the most beautiful and virtuous Women Selected."
History
Everything indicates that Ciudadela of Machu Picchu quickly was vacated after 1540, when the Spaniards, in campaign against the rebellious Incas of Vilcabamba, began their earth penetration cusqueñas. Picchu was initially entrusted to Hernando a so Aryan Pizarro and later to Maldonado, also in century XVI. In 1565, when the Inca Sayri Tupaq was still alive in Vilcabamba, many towns of the zone already were vacated. In those times mummies of the Inca already had been kidnapped by the Spaniards to be taken to Lima. Years later, in 1568, the local boss of Picchu declared that the towns and the earth that were cultivated there were “for their sacrifices and ceremonies of the dead bodies” and that had been left more ago than 30 years ago.
Written Testimonies
Machu Picchu was a incaico urban center and, consequently, it was lived and active to the erruption of the Spaniards. Reasonable doubt that does not fit this was; and in spite to have been a very important site, is not mentioned to him. Nevertheless, in the writings that are from century XVI there are references to the zone and presumably to the site.
Several documents of the century XVI that speak of Piccho, or Pichos existance, in the zone where is the sanctuary. In fact, as Rowe says to John H., it was Melchor Arteaga, the guide of Hiram Bingham, who only baptized the site like Machu Picchu, without making reference to that, along with Wayna, formed Piccho. Thanks to those writings we know that it was near to the route of Vilcabamba, that the Spaniards looked to fight there against the rebellious Incas between 1540 and 1571.
Thanks to the studies of Luis Miguel Glave and Maria Isabel Remy we have been able to know a document 1568 that speaks of the “town of Picho” and that mentions lands cultivated by the Incas and to the caciques who lived there. Therefore, in 1568 still the town existed that with complete certainty is Machu Picchu. It says the document which that territory was conquered by Pachakutec Inca Yupanqui, who most of adjudged earth from Torontoy, river down - this ratifies Juan de Betanzos and Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa-, and that the cacique of the town cultivated cocaine.
The discovery by Hiram Bingham
It is known that the person who made the scientific discovery of Machupicchu was Hiram Bingham, a descending North American historian of missionaries who was born in 1875 in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 1907 ran the chair of History and South American Geography in the University of Yale. He was the the explorer on 24 of June of 1911 , to the front of an expedition of the University of Yale, discovers, for the world, the lost city of the Incas.
In spite of the discovery, then, the goal of Bingham was another one, to find the legendary capital of the descendants of the Incas, Vilcabamba, had like bastion of the resistance against the Spanish invaders, between 1536 and 1572, when penetrating Bingham by the tube of the Urubamba, in desolated the site of Mandorbamba, the farmer Melchor Arteaga related to him that at the top of the hill Machu Picchu abundant ruins existed; to reach to them meant to ascend by a lateral zooming covered with dense vegetation. Although excéptico Bingham insisted on being guided the place, for that reason it promoted near 2000 feet through dense selvay filosas slopes. But arriving at the top, one of the children of the two families of shepherds who resided in the place lead it to the ruins, and, indeed, it could observe like palaces, seats, houses, water streets and channels showed imposing covers by the green mantle of the motley tropical vegetation and in evident state of abandonment centuries ago. While it inspected the ruins, Bingham, astonished, wrote down in its newspaper: I found the rest of the finest and interesting buildings of America, white granite facts with blocks of ciclópeo size, higher than a man and that must weigh twenty tons each one, as well as it expressed the magnitude of the descrubrimiento with this phrase: “Would anyone believe what I have found” ( Creerá somebody what I have found).
Noncounted history
In 1875 the brothers of Angel Mariano and Agustín Lizárraga, natural Mollepata (Anta), left their house to obtain to fertile earth in others lares. The adventure begins by summits of the snow-covered Salcantay, until descending by the sector of Palcay and arriving at Pampas of San Miguel, settling down indeed on the foot of the Huayna Picchu.
In 1890 Angel Mariano and Agustín already established in San Miguel they make the cleaning of the area and they burn it of the vegetation to seed diverse products. After ten years, in 1900, Agustín separates from his brother to continue ascending the skirts of the hill Huayna Picchu and to look for new fertile earth. While it was cleaning the zone, was in the heat of heart of ciudadela, without knowledge that had discovered Machu Picchu.
Years later, Agustín Lizárraga leaves to an inscription in Machu Picchu, dated the 14 of 1901 July, inscription that, porteriormente, founded by Hiram Bingham.
Years later, Agustín Lizárraga I invite its mollepatino countryman Melchor Arteaga so that he settled down in Mandorpampa (located place surrounds to the ruins of Machu Picchu), Bingham, looked for the lost city of the Incas in the sector of Vilcabamba, made from Cuzco an expedition and in 1911 lodged in the house of Melchor Arteaga.
While it is known that Hiram Bigham is the scientific discoverer of the city of Machu Picchu, is the evidence more the one that shows to us that ten years before Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu was discovered by settlers of the zone, who without knowing it, discovered the Archaeological park more interesting than they bequeathed the Incas to us.
The investigations
Later to the discovery, in the year 1911, Bingham it returned to North America to organize a multidisciplinary expedition and to look for economic support that the University of Yale and the National Geographic Society were granted him by. Of return in Peru, in front of the request of Bingham to execute works in Machupicchu, by means of decree of the 31 of October of 1912, the Peruvian government authorized it to make the projected works, authorizing to him in addition according to his article fourth, to freely remove from the country the pieces obtained during his explorations but with the commitment to give back them to simple request of Peru.
The findings in Machu Picchu
The excavations of Hiram Bingham in diverse places of Machu Picchu allowed to reunite 555 pots, approximately 220 bronze objects, silver and of stone, among other materials. The ceramic sample expressions of the Incan art and the same must be said of the found metal pieces: decorated bracelets, earflaps, pins and earrings, in addition to knives and axes. Although they were not gold objects, the material identified by Bingham was sufficient to suggest that Machu Picchu goes back to the times of the splendor Inca, something that already demonstrated its architectonic style.
As he already knows himself, the Peruvian government authorized Bigham to make the projected works, authorizing in addition according to freely removing from the country the pieces he obtained during his explorations, but with the commitment to give them back at the request of Peru. It was an authorization in name of the “international label” that contradicted the effective law and made an irreparable damage to the cultural inheritance of Peru because those objects that were removed in 1912 are still in the University of Yale to this day.
Agricultural sector
The city of Machu Picchu is surrounded by agricultural terraces, some steeper than others, in such a way that the aggressive and unequal slope of the hill is transformed into a stepped surface that covers the unevenness with slopes with totally flat terraces. These terraces are close to the entering from the hotel of tourists, of these are only observed some of which they exist in the area since most of them are covered by the dense vegetation of the place.
The contours of the Platforms serve to redraw with firm lines the profile of the hill. Therefore, the natural surroundings, that are covered with a dense arboreal layer and that is by itself fascinating, are transformed into a spectacle that harmoniously combines the irregularity of the unevennesses and the free distribution of the colors and the forms of the forest with the architecture of the volumes and the spaces created by the human will.
There are five constructions to the Eastern end of the terraces that surely served as houses for the agriculturists who cultivated the sector; in the superior end of those terraces is well-known a small room of only three walls like the “Position of the constructed Watch” in a strategic place, since thence a Vista ample of the Tube of the Urubamba in two different courses is had, in addition is here from where the views or classic photographies of Machupicchu are taken.
The Platforms
The section of terraces of the more well-known and visited agricultural sector in our times is the one that is to the Southeastern; this section, like many others of the site, is protected by a wall that, in this case, it prevents access from the south. It is acceded to here from the way that arrives from the Cuzco, he himself that is flanked by patapata, or terraces as much by the west as by the east. This way, that comes from the south, uses the crest of the hill to enter Machu Picchu, so that it serves as dividing axis of the culture fields. There is more than 300 constructed staggered agricultural terraces in this section, which qualify around six hectares of earth.
On the other hand, towards the north, to the east of the urban sector, an extensive section of terraces exist that stays covered by the forest, but which Alfredo Valencia and Jose have been examined by González, who has identified even the water source that irrigated them.
In the same way, towards the west, in the other slope of the hill, we can find a great number of agricultural terraces, several of them associated to structures that could well play the role of colcas.
As much the buildings as the seats and the platforms that constitute the urban sector are connected to each other by means of a system of narrow side streets or footpaths, mainly in form of perrons, that are crossed the terraces that follow a longitudinal axis flat. The main platform of the urban sector is an ample seat - the seat greater than as well divides the buildings in hannan (“above”) and in urin (“down”). The urban sector was surrounded by means to prevent the access to the sanctuary, as the wall of defense and the deep and wide ditch, or dry pit, that surrounded all the set, not like part of a military fortification, but as a form of restricted ceremonial isolation.
Urban Sector
Both buildings as places and platforms that make up the urban sector are connected with each other through a system of narrow streets and trails. Mostly in the form of steps which are crossed with terraces that follow a longitudinal axis plane. The platforms main urban sector is a broad plaza Mayor Square which in turn divided into buildings hannan ( "top") and urin ( "down"). The urban sector was surrounded by media that prevented access to the sanctuary as a wall of defense and a deep and wide ditch or dry moat that surrounded the whole not as part of a military fortification, but as a form of isolation ceremonial restricted.
Hannan sector
In the Hanan sector, which it is to the west, locate the showier sacred spaces, like the real mausoleum, that contains the tower and crypt; the real palace; the greater temple, and a piramidal platform that lodges a well-known sculpture like intiwatana (“solar clock”). Near the entrance of the sanctuary, in the southwestern end, there is another group of buildings and in addition a rocky space that sometimes served as a quarry.
Between the constructions of this zone one is:
- The cover of entrance and the wall of defense
- The building to vestibular
- The tower and cripta
- The real palace (incawasi)
- The temples of the wakapata
- The hill of the intiwatana
Urin sector
- The set of the sagrada rock
- The houses of the north (qepawasi)
- The palace of the three covers (kimsa punku)
- Collcas of the east
- The mausoleum of the east
- Aqllawasi
- The Crypt of the Cóndor
- The houses of down
Huayna Picchu
The Huayna Picchu or “young mountain” is Machu Picchu as opposed to hundreds of meters higher, to 2620 meters on the level of the sea. Studies indicate that it served like a station, sentry post of communication and portable altar. The way towards Huayna Picchu is born in the North end of ciudadela, following stairs that in several sections this carved on the same rock. Raising moderate rate the ascent it takes approximately one hour. In the top is a portable altar formed by enormous stone blocks meticulously worked and from the peak all person who raises will be compensated by a Vista of Machu Picchu from the stop, the view is of all the complex is impressive. The dawn and the dusk are the best moments to appreciate ciudadela and the effects of light. This tip is.
Biodiversity
The Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu lodges near the 10 percent of the biological diversity of Peru in spite of representing as much as 0.025% of its territorial extension; in effect, this sanctuary not only emphasizes its cultural and archaeological importance, without the high value of its biological diversity in native terms of species, genetic banks and ecosystems.
Zones of Vida
The sanctuary presents/displays nine zones of life, distributed in altitudinal floors that go from 1.850 to the 6.270 msnm.
Subtropical humid forest Humid-montano forest under subtropical Very humid-montano forest under subtropical Subtropical pluvial-montano forest Subtropical very humid-montano forest Subtropical very humid-subalpino desert Subtropical pluvial-subalpino desert Subtropical pluvial-alpine tundra Subtropical Nival
Fauna
The first studies that were made overcome to the first expedition of Hiram Bingham in 1911, when Harry Ward Foote, naturalist who I participated with in this expedition, collected 242 species.
Soon, throughout following décadasse they developed works of investigation and these studies throw an average of 890 species, of which 47 are mammals, 401 birds, 19 reptiles, 10 amphibians, 13 fish and 400 insects.
Of the species of birds that inhabit the zone, they emphasize:
- The Gallito of Rocks (peruviana Rupicola)
- The Turkey hen of Monte (Penelope montagnii)
- The Duck of Torrents (armata Merganetta)
- The Cóndor (Vultur gryphus)
- The Cucarachero Inca (Thryothorus eisenmanni) - a bird of distribution very restricted.
Between the great mammals they are:
- The Bear of Eyeglasses (Tremarctos ornatus)
- The Puma (concolor Puma)
- The Dwarfed Deer (Mazama chunnyi)
Plants
The diversity of flowers in the sanctuary is ample, we have recent studies in the zone that show an average of 6500 species grouped in 14 different taxonomic groups. Between the main ones the pteridofitos estan (ferns), gimnospermas, monocotiledóneas, dicotiledóneas, criptogamas, orquídeas, poaceas, trees, moraceae, symplocaceae, polylepis (rosaceae), ericaceae, vascular and nonvascular flora. The dimmed forests of tropic or “eyebrows of forest” present/display generally one diversity of trees that divides equally a number of 50 species by hectare, in the east sanctuary number raises almost 90 species of trees by hectare. In the zone diverse species of trees can be appreciated, ferns, grass, mosses and plants of scrub. One of the abundant species is the orquídea which have registered 200 species, that is to say, more than 12% of the total variety of the 1.700 species identified in Peru. Even though that is very beautiful and is bound to old legend and Incan myths, the number of these has begun decaying due to the destruction from its habitat by forest fires and mainly the indiscriminate extraction on the part of inescrupulous and settler retailers of the area.
Services
Most of the services they are in the town of Machu Picchu (also call Aguas Calientes).
Routes of Access
Lima-Cusco
Two ways exist to accede to this zone, Terrestrial and Aerial route
Terrestrial route
To travel terrestrial route towards Cusco is a very interesting experience depending on which each tourist looks for. On the one hand, to travel by this means in the Companies of Interprovincial Transport is much more economic, the price fluctuates between 120 to 150 suns (US$ 40,00), in addition the units count on more comfortable seats and the Peruvian territory can be appreciated throughout the passage. Another positive factor, is that the body goes away little by little adapting to the height since gradually rises the ecological floors arriving until several meters on in level from the sea.
The negative aspect more highlights is the time. To travel in bus can take between 24 to 28 hours, which to many travellers is a loss of time, considering that the aerial trip only takes 1 hour approximately.
In order to make this trip, the following companies of transport are recommended: Cross of the South, I transport Ormeño.
Aerial route
Daily, diverse airlines offer this service of constant way, with several schedules during the day. The approximate price is of US$100.00 and it is possible to be made from the airlines like: Star Peru, LAN Peru or Aerocóndor.
The greater advantage is the rapidity and security, nevertheless, the disadvantage is that when arriving at the Cusco, it goes of an atmosphere closed within the airplane to a height atmosphere with little oxygen and that happens in a matter of minutes, some travellers feels particularly badly and needs a time to become aclimated to the air, but in general this annoyance happens after a day of rest.
Cusco - Machu Picchu
Once located in Cuzco three forms exist to arrive at ciudadela of Machu Picchu:
- Making the Way Inca
- Via the service of train. - Arrival to Hot Waters.
- Through Santa Teresa
Service of Train
Four types exist on watch: local train, train of tourism or backpacker, autovagón or Vistadome and the service Hiram Bingham, who leaves to first hour of the day and returns in the evening. These services are operated by the Peru Company Rail.
Cuzco service - Hot Waters - Cuzco
- The premises. - The Peru company Rail has put east service for the villagers, and all the Peruvians in general. It is offered to a very economic tariff, which allows to be transported to the people who inhabit these towns. It is of exclusive use for Peruvian, ticket is possible to be acquired with the obligatory presentation of the DNI.
- Backpacker. - Designed exclusively for the passengers with adventurous spirit who look for comfort and security as well. The Backpacker service has remodelado its seats with carpets of incaicos reasons, giving a very village and indigenous touch them, as well as the comfort to count on an ample space for the knapsacks.
- Vistadome. - It is a less economic service, nevertheless it offers one of the fastest and comfortable way to visit Machu Picchu. In the trip, it is possible to be enjoyed sandwiches and drinks as much I warm up as you cold. The cars are equipped with panoramic windows that allow to enjoy the Vista and to take photographies.
- Hiram Bingham. - Account with 02 cars of 42 spaces for passengers and a car bar, additionally counts on a car cooks for the preparation of foods. To travel in this train is to travel with a service of luxury. Their cars count on many details of design, also with great and comfortable seats and very wide tables, these cars are counted between most extensive and comfortable of the world. This service includes: 1 ticket in train, 1 I cool, 1 Cocktail and Cena, Water, Coffee and Tea, 1 Tour including the entrance to Machu Picchu, 1 ticket of the Bus roundtrip to the ruins.
Ollantaytambo service - Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo
Those who have crossed by the highway of Sacred Valley and they do not wish to waste time returning to Cuzco, also they can take the train to Machu Picchu in the station from Ollantaytambo.
- Backpacker service (economic): USD 73,00 (roundtrip price ref. 2007)
Time of departure: 9.20am Hour of return: 5:00 p.m.
- Vistadome service: USD 113,00 (roundtrip price ref. 2007)
Time of departure: 8.40am Hour of return: 3:30 p.m./3:55 p.m.
Duration approx of the route: 2 hours, Have exits every day.
Bus to Machu Picchu (from Hot Waters)
Once of to have arrived at the Hot Water town, Hiram Bingham is due literally to raise until the archaeological rest by the highway. This ascent can be made on foot. In the ascent of 6km that lasts approximately one hour or to take the buses available, its frequency is of every 15 minutes; the first bus leaves at 05:30 hours and the last one returns at 17:00 hours.
Via Santa Teresa
This new route to the sanctuary of Machu Picchu is frequently vistited by tourists and adventurous backpackers. This is the road that the traditional Ollantaytambo and since converted into trail crosses the districts of Santa Maria and Santa Teresa. Since the province of La Convención the bus, until Santa Teresa, it takes about eight hours to reach the buffer zone of the sanctuary. From this point, travel should be done about 20 kilometers by walking for about three hours more up to the entrance of the archaeological remains.
The advantage of this route is that it represents a more economical access to the sanctuary. It is estimated that a traveler can spend approximately 15 soles. One of the disadvantages would be the time travel is higher as well as the lack of amenities.
