Machu Picchu - The Sky City of The Andes

Since its inscription as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2001, Machu Picchu has been one of the most coveted destinations in South America. Images of Machu Picchu are ubiquitous; I suspect many would recognize it without being able to recall its name. I distinctly remember that my grandparents had a calendar with a picture of Machu Picchu hanging in their shop in Taiwan. From Taiwan, Machu Picchu is literally on the opposite of the globe. I knew nothing about Peru or its history except that it was a far and mystical place. I never imagined that I might have the chance to visit this place one day. For many of us, it is a bucket list destination.

The classic postcard view of Machu Picchu.

Like everyone else, we also came to Peru for Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail. Not only is Machu Picchu the centerpiece of Peru’s tourism trade, but it is also an economic cornerstone for Peru by some metrics. Over the last two decades, its popularity has soared because of social media and the availability of international flights. Because of the political unrest in Peru at the beginning of the year, we were incredibly lucky to snap up coveted spots for the Inca Trail only months ahead. It was one heck of a first trip to South America.

The Royal Estate of Machu Picchu

For several reasons, the Inca stood out among all the great civilizations throughout history. They had no writing system, wheels, and metallurgy. Up until the 20th century, many openly questioned whether the Inca was considered a civilization. Without written language, much of what we knew about their civilization came from their cultural artifacts and biased accounts from the Spaniards. For that reason, archaeologists could only speculate on the purpose and detailed history of Machu Picchu. The hilltop citadel is situated on a narrow saddle between two iconic peaks: Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu. The name “Machu Picchu” means “old mountain” in the Quechua language, but there is no record of the city’s actual name during the Incan period.

Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui is widely believed to be the founder of Machu Picchu.

From the current understanding, Machu Picchu was constructed as a royal estate for emperor Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui and Túpac Inca Yupanqui. At its peak, it is estimated that as many as 750 people lived here, including royal servants, laborers, and priests. Based on forensic evidence extracted from the buried remains, archaeologists found those who resided there came from far-flung corners all over the empire. The varying artifacts and remains found here could only mean this was an imperial estate.

Like any good Incan site, a natural spring provides a stable freshwater supply. A complex network of channels was cut from the stone to distribute the water throughout the site. Because the channels were carved in, the water flew even after a few centuries of abandonment. Even though the city has hundreds of gardened terraces, the production level was insufficient to support the population. Large amounts of food and livestock had to be brought here.

As our guide Jhon explained, the best way to identify the royal city is to discern the quality of the ashlar stone construction. The precision of the construction is an indication of status. Interestingly, he pointed out that sections of the wall where the quality of the stonework deteriorates as it rises. It is an indication that builders were rushing to complete the complex. Ironically, this magnificent city was only used for about a century before the demise of the Incan Empire. But compared to other Incan cities, Ollantaytambo, almost all of the stone at Machu Picchu was quarried locally. The Incas incorporated local bedrock into the construction. The quarry along the edge of the city is still clearly visible today.

Besides the architectural field, the city is organized into an upper and lower section. Naturally, the upper town is home to religious temples and royal residences. The lower section includes housing for the servants and warehouses. In total, over two hundred buildings are standing, with many of them organized nearly around a central square. Some of the structures have been partially reconstructed to give visitors a sense of how Machu Picchu may appear in the heyday. The roof rafters are tied into holes in the interior of the stone walls, and smaller roof purlins are then tied to the rafter with leather straps. As much as I enjoyed the reconstruction, the roof structure does seem relatively flimsy compared to the sturdy stone walls.

This ground-eye perspective of the city is actually my favorite view of Machu Picchu.

While most agree that Machu Picchu was the summer retreat for the Incan emperor, the religious aspect of Machu Picchu should not be overlooked. The Inca selected this site not just for = the dramatic vista but also for alignment between the sun and surrounding peaks. The most important religious site here is Intihuatana. Carved out of the bedrock, this ritual rock is positioned to align with the winter solstice, and at the solstice, the sun shines directly above and casts no shadow at all. An astronomic clock, Intihuatana was the most significant altar in any Incan city because the Incas believed it was the device that held up the sky. Spaniards were aware of Intihuatana's religious importance and ordered their destruction. This rock survived because the Spaniards did not know of Machu Picchu.

The Temple of the Sun is built on top of a massive boulder.

Unfortunately, we did not see Intihuatana during our visit because of a restoration project. But judging from the pictures, it is far less impressive than the Temple of the Sun nearby. The temple was built on top of a giant boulder that forms the ceiling for a natural cave called Inti Mach'ay. It is the most unique building due to its curving wall and fine stonework. Its shape is eerily reminiscent of Coricancha, the most important temple in the Incan Empire. Archaeologists believe this temple is also dedicated to the sun god Inti. Its windows are carefully positioned to specific alignment with summer and winter solstice. It is also suspected that the interior of this temple was also sumptuously clad with gold like its counterparts in Cusco. Some even believe, without evidence, that Incan emperor Pachacutec was buried within.

The ashlar construction of the Temple of the Sun is one of the best in the city.

The cave of Inti Mach'ay is a msterpiece of Incan architecture.

While the Temple of the Sun may have the finest masonry, the most interesting temple at Machu Picchu may be the Temple of the Condor. The Incas incorporated the beauty of natural bedrock into an image of a condor. A stone altar has been carved on the ground to make up the head of the condor. Condor is the largest bird species native to the Andean region and an important symbol in Incan mythology. The bird is said to bring rain and clouds, thus linking it to the fertility rites. To make the temple even more fascinating, a series of prison cells are positioned under the wings of the condor. Combining temple with prison cells is highly unusual for sure.

The terraced waterway is my favorite architectural feature in Machu Picchu.

Rounding up the primary religious strictures of Machu Picchu, the Temple of Three Windows is also very striking. Contrary to the name, the temple used to have five windows, two of which were lost due to vandalism. The three windows left are believed to represent a window into three realms of the universe: the heaven, the earth, and the underworld. The masonry construction here is the best I have seen in Peru. The ashlar of this temple is the largest in Machu Picchu; framing the three windows is particularly graceful. I think they are more impressive than the infamous twelve-angled stone in Cusco.

The famous “Water Mirrors” are less impressive than you think.

For me, the most enigmatic features at Machu Picchu are relatively small. In the middle of one of the largest halls in the city are two stone bowls carved out of the bedrock. These mysterious objects have been the subject of fascination since their discovery. For some time, they were considered cooking vessels because they resembled mortars. It took archaeologists a few decades to speculate that they might be used as “water mirrors” to reflect the images of the night sky. It is proposed that they are ceremonial vessels for Incan priests to track the celestial movement. Personally, I don’t find this theory particularly compelling. I thought they were just too dainty to hold religious significance.

The Sacred Rock supposedly resembles the profile of the mountain behind. I could not be sure to be honest.

Speaking of sizes, my favorite monument in Machu Picchu is several hundred times larger than the water mirrors. Located at the city’s northern edge, visitors would find a giant rock carefully placed on top of a stone plinth. At 22 feet wide and 10 feet tall, it is the most sizable boulder in Machu Picchu. Commonly called the Sacred Rock, it is situated on a little square, with two lodges flanking its sides. Unsurprisingly, experts believe some religious ceremonies must have taken place here. The most compelling theory was that the Incas sculpted the boulder to mimic the profile of the mountain peak in the background. It made archeologists conclude that this was the alter to Apus, the gods of the mountain peaks.

The Lost City of the Incas

Nicknamed the “Lost City of the Incas,” Machu Picchu is now a familiar icon of the Incan Empire today. But the existence of this city was forgotten by the outside world for nearly four centuries. The decline of Machu Picchu was not well documented. Archaeologists believe it was gradually abandoned by the Incas starting in the 1540s, less than a decade after the Spanish conquest. Because Machu Picchu relied upon food imports, the collapse of the imperial system of governance spelled the demise of the fabled city.

Commemorative plaques to Hiram Bingham’s “rediscovery” of Machu Picchu.

The “discovery” of Machu Picchu was a well-publicized but complicated topic. The site is often connected to the 1911 expedition by American explorer Hiram Bingham III. A lecturer of South American history at Yale University, he had the drive and financial resources to excavate the site. He claimed to be the person who discovered Machu Picchu. However, he was hardly the first modern man to visit the site. Not only were local farming families aware of its existence, but the site was also visited by Peruvian explorer Agustín Lizárraga in 1902, nearly ten years earlier than Bingham.

A lone tree was left standing on purpose to illustrate how overgrown the place was when Bingham arrived.

Remarkably, Bingham was aware of Lizárraga’s visit. He noted in the diary a graffiti signed by Lizárraga with the date 1902. Not an archaeologist by profession, Bingham had an ego as big as ambitions. He later ordered the graffiti erased in the name of conservation and then insisted that he was the one to discover the citadel. Luckily, Lizárraga’s signature is visible in a 1912 photograph Bingham took. Some evidence even suggests a few Spanish conquistadors may have visited the citadel as early as the 16th century. Peruvian parliament even passed a resolution to officiate Lizárraga’s status as the first person to “rediscover” Machu Picchu.

A year following Bingham’s “discovery,” he organized an expedition with funding from Yale University and the National Geographic Society. The site was completely overgrown with mature trees after 350 years of abandonment. Bingham’s team cleared the vegetation and revealed the scale and majesty of the city. Today, a tall tree was purposefully left standing on the plaza to remind visitors of the conditions that Bingham found it. As part of that expedition, the team removed many artifacts, including pottery fragments, textiles, and human remains. Everything was shipped back to Yale for research and was kept in Connecticut for nearly a hundred years. The Ownership of the artifacts was a continuous issue for Peruvians. It was not until 2010 that Yale agreed to return them back to Peru. Interestingly, the return was negotiated by Senator Chris Dodd, who happened to hold the senate seat once held by Bingham.

It is crazy just how steep the surrounding valley is.

Fair or not, Bingham’s legacy still loomed large here. The romanticism for a real-life Indiana Jones character is alive and well today. Despite some misgivings about the artifacts, most Peruvians still hold him in high regard to this day. Many tourist-oriented businesses still use his name. That includes the ultra-luxury Belmond Hiram Bingham Train, which costs a whopping $560 a person for the four-hour journey from Cusco. The switchback road that connects Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu is affectionately named Carretera Hiram Bingham, the Hiram Bingham Highway.

The Roads To Machu Picchu

Visitors now traveled on the switchback road, the path Bingham traveled during his initial expedition. Visiting Machu Picchu today is a straightforward, if not efficient, affair for most visitors. Most visitors would take private transport or a train from Cusco to Ollantaytambo. From there, the only way forward would be a two-hour train ride to Aguas Calientes. There are two operators running this route: Peru Rail and Inca Rail. Despite their names, both are private for-profit operators and are very costly for their tourist-class service. However, the locals and those in the tourist trade could take the “local” train for a fraction of the cost. This rail line is a lifetime for Machu Picchu, and it followed the same route that Bingham followed in his expeditions.

With literally no private vehicle, Aguas Calientes is a pleasant place to stroll.

The town of Aguas Calientes is a fascinating place. Established as a camp for railroad workers, Aguas Calientes is now a hub entirely for the tourism trade. Because nearly all visitors must pass by this place, prices are outrageous by Peruvian standards for their captive audience. However, the higher is justified since everything must be supplied through the single rail line. The absence of a road linking the outside world also means the town is quite pedestrian-friendly and pleasant. The only vehicles around seemed to be the buses shuttling tourists to the entrance of Machu Picchu.

Peru Rail’s Voyager Class to Machu Picchu.

While most visitors are ready to write off Aguas Calientes for being touristy, we enjoyed the place’s unique charm. There are still churches and historical monuments hidden amid the crass embrace of commercialism. Littered around the town are massive bronze statues of famous Incan rulers. Our visit coincided with the 15th anniversary of Machu Picchu being designated a New Seven Wonders of the World. The city put on a big festival to celebrate this momentous achievement with a parade and musical performances. Unbeknown to most, this coveted title was determined with internet voting organized by a for-profit foundation. The title was a celebration of Pervian national unity and cultural pride.

Aside from touristy shops and restaurants, Aguas Calientes has many other attractions in its own right. As the name suggests, the most popular spot in town is its hot springs, located a kilometer from the town center. The spring is said to possess medicinal quality and feed a series of pools. The yellowish water seemed a little disturbing.; it is not the nicest-looking hot spring I have ever seen. But many said it was a great way to unwind after finishing the Inca Trail.

My first glimpse of Machu Picchu was spectacular.

Although passing to Aguas Calientes was unavoidable for all visitors, the privileged few could enter Machu Picchu through Intipunku, the Sun Gate. This dramatically situated gate is situated at the southeastern side of the citadel and is a ceremonial entrance. The gate happened to be where the sun shined through on summer solstice. On that day, the gate perfectly aligns with the main altar of the Temple of the Sun. It is a primary entrance into Machu Picchu and is believed to be protected by the imperial guards. But despite the splendid view and its strategic locations, archaeologists conclude this was not the entrance for the Incan emperor. Instead, the imperial entourage traveled along the Urubamba River, the easiest route to Machu Picchu.

Arriving at Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate definitely felt special.

Since the Incan times, the gate has been the terminus of a major supply route into the city, now known as the Inca Trail. But ever since the pandemic, access to Intipunku has been restricted to those hiking the Inca Trail. It is one of the many reasons to sign up for the four-day hike. Brian gave up on the hike on the first day. His only regret about abandoning the trail was missing out on that “classic” sunrise view of Machu Picchu from Intipunku. But for his consolation, our group did not arrive in time for the sunrise either.

Machhu Picchu Meets Mass Tourism

To cope with the surging demands, the government has tightened the regulations, including a strict daily cap on visitors. For the citadel, there are 2,950 tickets available every day. Most of these were scalped up by big tour operators. Fortunately, about five hundred last-minute tickets were reserved for individual visitors at the culture center of Aguas Calientes. This is one of the best-kept secrets, but I won’t recommend planning your trip counting on getting one of these tickets.

Jhon and Chris was my Inca Trail companion.

A big part of the government’s management strategy is to set up five separate “circuits” and ease congestion. Discerning the variations between various routes is difficult. Further complicating the trip planning, visitors are limited to a maximum of two tickets each day. Because we got our tickets through the Inca Trail package, I am far from being an expert on which circuit is the most worthwhile. However, Jhon did recommend Circut 2 for the best overview of the city. I honestly would not worry about seeing everything. The only thing to watch out for is to ensure you can visit the upper section to get that classic Machu Picchu view.

For anybody interested in visiting the Inca Bridge or hiking Huayna Picchu, it is imperative to reserve respective tickets well ahead of time. When we signed up for the Inca Trail package, there was an optional add-on for an in-depth tour of Machu Picchu the following day. Their FAQs section has one specific question about visiting Huayna Picchu. This is the most common request from their clients. From their point of view, Huayna Picchu may be dramatic, but it is not all that dissimilar from the scenery along the Inca Trail.

Tourist circuits could be confusing. It is just another good reason to hire a professional guide.

Although visiting Machu Picchu alone is very doable, I recommend signing up for a guided tour. A guide provides the much-needed history and context, which made the entire visit all the more meaningful. All tour guides at Machu Picchu must be licensed, which means a degree in related fields and passing a special examination. It is a coveted and very profitable career for many Peruvians. Many porters working on the Inca Trail dreamed of becoming a professional guide one day. That dream was very remote for most of them, unfortunately.

Spending time with Jhon was definitely a highlight of our visit.

Though Jhon and other tour guides had plenty of misgivings about the government’s stewardship of Machu Picchu, none would like to return to the unfettered access of the early decades. From my personal observations, I think the site is well-managed and not overcrowded. It is more enjoyable than our recent visit to the Colosseum in Rome. From the frequent shuttles to efficient processing at the entrances, Machu Picchu is a well-oiled tourism machine. I particularly love how the commercial amenities, such as the snack bars, are outside the ticketed zone.

They have a team of native lawnmowers here.

For those with deep pockets, visitors could dole out $1,500 a night to stay at the luxurious Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel. Situated right at the entrance gate, the lodge is the most convenient accommodation for seeing sunrise over Machu Picchu. It saved about an hour of traveling compared to staying in Aguas Calientes. However, I can’t imagine spending such an amount of money just for that extra convenience.

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Machu Picchu - The Sky City of The Andes

The Royal Estate of Machu Picchu

The Lost City of the Incas

The Roads To Machu Picchu

Machhu Picchu Meets Mass Tourism

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