Unveiling the lost city

Much has been written in praise of Machu Picchu. And it is not enough.

The forgotten city of the ninth Inca king Pachactuec leaves one spellbound. It has a haunting splendour even in its desolation.

It seems to be perched on the peak of Old Mountain, against the backdrop of the towering Huayana Picchu.

The city, located 2,350 metres above sea level, straddles a ridge above Urumbamba Valley.

It is surrounded by gorges and heavily forested mountains.

Above is an incredibly blue sky, the colour so clear it seems unreal. Machu Picchu is one of the symbols of the Inca Empire and is the driving force of tourism in Peru.

The focal point of the settlement is the Sacred Plaza and from there, the city fans outwards — up to the Caretaker's Hut and down to the terraces for agriculture.

The roofs have long since caved in but even after almost 600 years of being abandoned, the fountains work!

Summer special

Machu Picchu was built around 1460 for the ninth Inca king Pachacutec, probably as a summer resort. It was abandoned about 100 years later during the Spanish conquest.

The local tribes knew of its existence and so did the Spanish. But the conquerors could never find it so it escaped destruction. Gradually, it fell into ruin; and it was forgotten.

In 1911, Hiram Bingham, an American archaeologist from Yale University who was exploring the region, was approached by a Quechua farmer, Mandor Pampa, who offered to show him the ruins.

Although the place was covered with centuries of vegetation, Bingham was spellbound by his discovery, which he named “The Lost City of the Incas''. Over the years, he made several trips carrying away many valuable artefacts.

In 1913, the National Geographic magazine devoted its April issue to Machu Picchu. In 1983, the city was declared a World Heritage Site.

In 2007 it was voted as one of the New 7 Wonders and recently it came on to another list: 100 Most Endangered Sites — and this is because of tourism.

On the first day of our trip to Machu Picchu, we found the city packed with tourists, swarming over every stone and ridge.
So we decided to go at a quiet time the next day.

We arrived at 5.30am, thinking we would have the place to ourselves — and had to join a queue of about 1,000 people who had the same idea!

Location

From Cusco (about 80 kilometres away), which was once the capital of the Inca civilisation, one gets to Aguas Calientes, a small town bubbling with tourists.

Then about an hour's bus ride up a winding mountain road leads to Machu Picchu.

Details of the city

The city is marked by walls and structures of great stonework. Colossal blocks, which fit like a jigsaw puzzle, form temples, houses and other buildings and have been constructed without the use of mortar.

The Incas were among the best stonemasons of the world. Peru is prone to earthquakes and such mortar-free constructions could survive the tremors.

The Incas did not use the wheel — although they were familiar with it — so it is a wonder how they quarried, cut and transported these stones.

There is a lot to be seen and at least two or three trips are needed to truly explore the city. The following were the highlights of our trip:

It is flanked by the Temple of the Three Windows and the House of the High Priest. This area, dedicated to Inti, or the Sun deity, was probably used during ceremonial occasions and religious rites.

This is one of the most remarkable structures, as it is the only round building in the complex and is a masterpiece of stonework. Built over polished rock, the walls — made of huge perfectly fitted blocks — form a natural curve.

Archaeologists believe it served as an observatory where astronomers studied the stars for information on their crop cycles.

The rectangular temple has three walls facing the Plaza. On the opposite side are three trapezoidal windows with two niches.

The windows are aligned so as to catch the first rays of the sun on the summer and winter solstices.

They also give the viewer a panoramic view of the surrounding hills and terraces below.

It has colossal rock lintels, some weighing approximately 3 tonnes each.

The size of structure, high roofs and large rooms implies that this complex was for the king. Pachacutec spent his summers here with his entourage.

It had just one entrance to ensure his safety. The complex is divided into bedrooms and even has a workplace.

The Incas harnessed a spring on a steep slope and built a long canal to bring water to the city.

This was channelled through 16 fountains, flowing in neat rivulets with the spout of each fountain formed so that the water poured in a stream to fit a tall-necked pot called an urfu.

There are also about 100 flights of stairs carved out of a single block.

This temple got its name from the two slabs which form the outspread wings of the bird with the head defined by the carved rock on the ground.

Because of its dungeons and niches, it is believed that the latter were altars where mummies were placed during ceremonies for the condor, an important Inca deity.

This stone indicates the date of solstices and equinoxes. The summer solstice was the most important, with the Sun being almost directly above the pillar. Intihuatna is not completely vertical but tilts 13 degrees north, the city's latitude.

High on the hill is an open-fronted hut from which the whole valley can be viewed. A guard once kept an eye on the surroundings from here.

Also called The Sun Gate, this is where the Incas controlled access to the city. It offers a 180-degree-view of the city and the surrounding mountains and valleys. It is a favourite with hikers.

— Nirmal Khanna is a UAE-based freelance writer

Go there . . . Machu Picchu . . . From the UAE

From Dubai
Lima is the closest airport.
Delta flies daily via Atlanta.
Fare from Dh8,445

— Information courtesy: The Holiday Lounge by Dnata.
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Tourist invasion

The towering citadel of stone leaves one baffled as to why such a thriving settlement was abandoned.

As one walks among the superb structures, marvelling at the precise stonework and attention to detail, one can almost feel the presence of the Incas.

They were probably wondering why these hordes of tourists were desecrating their domain by trampling all over it.

The footfalls are taking a toll on the city and the government of Peru is planning to limit the number of tourists.

The history of the Incas

It took the Incas about a century to build one of the greatest civilisations the world has ever known.

With Cusco as its capital, the empire covered almost a third of South America with an excellent road system connecting distant areas.

The legendary founder of the Inca dynasty was Manco Capac who is supposed to have emerged from Lake Titicaca, establishing Cusco in AD1200.

Pachacutec, the ninth and greatest ruler, unified and expanded the empire.

The conquistador Francisco Pizarro landed in Cusco in 1532. He captured the Inca king Atahualpa, and a year later, had him executed.

Although there were several isolated revolts, the Inca Empire came to an end.

The Spanish conquerors were cruel rulers: and destroyed the entire civilisation.

They built cathedrals over the remains of the Inca temples. Machu Picchu remained undisturbed as they could not find it.

The Inca Trail

The Incas developed an extensive network of roads covering about 18,650 miles.

The famous Inca Trail linking Machu Picchu with the Sacred Valley is the best preserved.

Today, the trail covers diverse landscapes and 30 Inca sites. It takes about four days to complete and is very popular with the young and fit.