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FORTRESS OF OLLANTAYTAMBO

The fortress of Ollantaytambo, this archaeological site is located in the province of Ollantaytambo, entering the central square of the province of Ollantaytambo.

Fortaleza de Ollantaytambo 1024x768 - FORTRESS OF OLLANTAYTAMBO
View of the great fortress of Ollantaytambo.
  • It is considered as a military, religious and administrative center, a great control point within the sacred valley.
  • This place is made up of 17 overlapping terraces built on large stones of pink granite material, with an average of walls that measure more than 4 meters high, with 2 meters thick.
  • The walls of the royal house of the Sun have of main characteristic an internal inclination, which this composed of 6 blocks of enormous stones, attached with joints of small stones that form the main altar, being the main quarry located to 6 kilometers the denominated quarry of
  • Cachicata located to the left margin of the river Vilcanota that helped in the proportion of stones for the constructions.
  • All the rocks were partially carved in the quarry of Cachicata to then be lowered to the lower part of the valley. There were some carved stones left on the way and they were called “tired stones” because they did not reach their final destination.
  • The way of transporting huge blocks of stone from long distances to their destination, the Incas required an artificial riverbed parallel to the Vilcanota River to move the blocks of stone up steep slopes, for which they used rollers, rolling stones, camelid leather ropes, pulleys, levers and the labor of thousands of men. The Incas used joints and surfaces of fine finish thanks to this they managed to have finishes that today are shown in the fortress of Ollantaytambo.

SITES THAT INCLUDE THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OR FORTRESS OF OLLANTAYTAMBO

THE FORTRESS OR ROYAL HOUSE OF THE SUN

It was the place where the Inca Manco fled when defeated by the Spanish forces, in the rooms of the temple was the refuge of the Inca, that’s when the brother of Hernando Pizarro to see the size of the fortress and the height of its walls were shocked by the impossible access to the fortress of Ollantaytambo.

INTIHUATANA OF OLLANTAYTAMBO

The Intihuatana is on top of the Temple of the Sun, consists of a wall with niches on whose sides there are security holes 80 cm deep, in front of it is a structure that is suspended over a precipice of an astronomical observatory function.

PINCUYLLUNA HILL

Which means wind instrument of Inca origin, is on the west side of the river Patacancha which is in front of the temple of the sun, is an architectural complex that is formed by buildings of three blocks that are superimposed, with rectangular bases, with 6 windows facade which allows ventilation and lighting of the place. In this place are also the Qolqas (ware houses of agricultural products) and on the left side is a stone block that has the face of the Inca and can be seen from the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo.

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