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Peru (Cuzco) - South America

Bec
2004-09-20 16:56:23

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is the Thursday market when people from miles around come to trade life's necessities in Pisac. The Sunday market is even more important and has become regular tourist attraction.

Ollantaytambo
Today's village of Ollantaytambo was built on the foundations of an Inca village, about 50 km downstream from Pisac, at the foot of an imposing temple-fortress guarding the western end of the Sacred Valley (name of the Urubamba valley near Cuzco). The village layout is interesting for it is the best surviving example of Inca planning with enclosures having a single entrance leading to a courtyard giving access to the individual houses (A similar arrangement can be observed in the Chimú capital Chan Chan, which itself was inspired by earlier Huari architecture).

In 1536 Pizarro tried to storm the place to capture Manco Capac after defeating him at Sacsayhuaman but he had to retreat before these easily defended terraces. Pizarro came back later with four times more cavalry and took Ollantaytambo forcing Manco Capac to flee to Vilcabamba in the jungle.

It is difficult to imagine how the Spaniards managed to fight their way up these giant steps against a numerically superior enemy, even with the advantage of cavalry, armour, swords and muskets.

Some historians claim that this was not a fortress but a temple. That position seems to be supported by the presence of the unfinished structure you can see top of the "stairs". I think the point is moot for all Inca constructions seem to present both religious military features which I think is normal for a society where the distinctions that we make between the State, the Church and the Army did not exist.

Here is the unfinished the temple which supports religious rather than military purpose of this impressive Inca construction. Even centuries later you cannot slip a calling card in the tight stone joints between these huge slabs! Religious or military, Ollantaytambo testifies of the overwhelming power of the society that could mobilise the efforts of thousands to build such a place (in this case, thousands of Colla Aborigines from the Titicaca area).

Chinchero
Another interesting but less impressive Inca site is Chinchero halfway between Ollantaytambo and Cuzco.

This small village is also built on the foundations of an ancient Inca village like many others in the Andes. Unfortunately it has become quite touristy like everything else around Cuzco...

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