Saksaywaman is a citadel on the northern outskirts of the city of Cusco, Peru, the historical capital of the Inca Empire. Surface collections and analysis of pottery indicate that the earliest occupation of the hilltop dates back as least a millennium, making it one of the oldest ancient establishments on the planet.
The Saksaywaman fortress. Photo CreditConstructed during the reign of Pachacuti, its massive well-built walls remain today as a testimony not only to Inca power but also the skills of Inca architects and their approach of blending their monumental structures harmoniously into the natural landscape.
The Inca built dry stone walls constructed of huge stones. Photo CreditThe Inca used similar construction techniques in building Saksaywaman as they used on all their stonework, albeit on a far more massive scale. It is believed that this fortress was the largest structure built by the Incas.
The fortress was the largest structure built by the Incas. Photo CreditThe stones were rough-cut to the approximate shape in the quarries using river cobbles. They were dragged by rope to the construction site, a feat that at times required hundreds of men. Some of the stones show indentations which may have served a purpose in the construction process.
Located on a steep hill that overlooks the city, the fortified complex has a wide view of the valley to the southeast. Photo Credit
A section of the wall of Saksaywaman. Photo CreditThe interesting part is that there are these massive blocks of stone, weighing between 50 to 100 tons, were cut and shaped almost perfectly and they are placed so tightly that no one can fit even a piece of paper in between them, some of these stones have signs of large amounts of thermal heat applied onto them to mold them into place so they could fit in the way they do.
The central part of this archaeological monument is represented by the three zigzag walls located one after another, bringing the slope of the hill. Photo CreditThe work, while supervised by Inca architects, was largely carried out by groups of individuals fulfilling their labor obligations to the state. In this system of mita or “turn” labor, each village or ethnic group provided a certain number of individuals to participate in such public works projects.
Today, Peruvians celebrate Inti Raymi, the annual Inca festival of the winter solstice and new year. It is held near Sacsayhuamán on 24 June. Photo CreditRead more Inca stories from us, here is one: Did the ancient Incas ...
In 1983 Saksaywaman (as well as the whole city of Cusco) was included into the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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