Sacsayhuaman Fortress

The Sacsayhuaman fortress or correctly write in the Quechua language, Saqsayhuaman, is an amazing place composed of many small archaeological sites, and another natural formation, many of them used also by the Incas in their constructions, however, this place is well known because its main terraces composed by three levels of megalithic walls, construction still incredibly today, for our society who thinks himself capable of everything. For our days it is a place you can’t miss in a visit to the city of Cusco.

This place represents one of the biggest architectural visions of Pachakuteq, the famous visionary governor who thanks the Sun because of the conquest of the world, he completely changes, starting whit the construction of a sanctuary worthy of the greatness he dreamed of.

Where Sacsayhuaman is located?

Sacsayhuaman is located in Cusco Perú, approximately 2 kilometers to the north of the down town of the city, taking to reference the historical center. The park covers around 3093 hectares located in a plain surrounded by the Cinca or Senqa mountain, and farther for other important mountains like the Pachatusan or Ausangate.

Sacsayhuaman Meaning:

It has been much published the literal tradition of Sacsayhuaman as satisfied falcon (Sacsa: Satisfied / Huamán: Falcon) supporting this theory in a war episode where is said there was dispersed many human corpses the falcons use to feed, completely satisfied. This exact episode probably refers to the battle between the Manco Inca and Pizarro’s Troops.

Our team has analyzed the context of the last translation and is true that still in our days there are falcons in this place, but they are not really abundant to be a highlighting feature of the place. In the best situation if we imagine a place full of human corpses, are other birds who could eat these bodies, birds that the falcons could hunt because they don’t eat carrion.

The Wayraq team, many of them still Quechua speakers of birth, have a second opinion about the translation of this word and headed by our Manager Juan Bautista Yupayccana Balta they made an analysis of this Quechua word, made by Quechua speakers and they get to the following conclusion.

Sacsa:

Or “Saqsa” correctly writes in Quechua, using the Quechua syllabary, indeed means satisfied with eating something, but it is only one of its meanings, other uses of the same word means full, replete of something, for example, “Sacsa Sara”, is a word used for corn completely replete of kernels. This word is very common, is used by the farmers in the Andes.

Huamán:

The word Huamán or Waman besides indeed means Falcon and is also a very common surname usually translated in this same way, maybe for that reason this interpretation is the first thing that comes to our heads when we listen this word. However, not many people know this word is used to call some rocks that sometimes are sacred for the town where they are located.

So, if we translated these two words together, we can say that Sacsayhuman or Saqsaywaman means a place full of sacred rocks, and for us, it makes much more sense

When and why was the Sacsayhuaman fortress build?

The great vision Pachakuteq had about de sun empire taken him to start whit the construction of a temple much more imposing than the Qorikancha, and they used it mainly for the worship of the sun, and for the cult of the other gods they had, in this way, as part of the redesign plan of Cusco, he started to build Sacsayhuaman, this happened a few years after Pachakuteq has crowned approximately in the year 1438 a.c, the construction was finish by Huyna Qapaq after almost 90 years. Sacsayhuaman was called after a century, the fortress, because of the gigantic blocks of rock in its walls and the battle between Incas and Spaniards for the possession of Cusco, but how we just said we thing it was built how big cult center that is going to be there even after we dead

How to get to Sacsayhuaman:

Is perfectly possible you make a visit to Sacsayhuaman by yourself, and of course you have also the option to take different organized activities, here you have all the options you can take to start your adventure.

By yourself:

By Taxi:

Hiring a taxi service, you’ll visit Sacsayhuaman whit much more facilities, and not only this place but also, Tambomachay, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and the viewpoint of the Cristo Blanco from where you can see all the valley of Cusco.

By Buss:

Take the public transportation to get to Sacsayhuaman from Cusco y really easy, only you have to find the unique bus stop there is in the street called “Puente Rosario” located very close to the Qorikancha or the temple of the Sun, once there you have to wait for the buss of the company “Cristo Blanco”. We are sure the bus staff in going to be happy to help you. The route is going to last around 30 minutes

Walking:

From the historical center of Cusco is possible to walk to this attraction, only you have to get ready whit everything you need and start to walk, first finding the Nazarenas square and begging to walk up by the Pumacurco street and after finishing, continue walking by the Don Bosco street, finding first the San Cristobal Church, and walking 10 minutes more to the control door for the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, where is going to be necessary you present your identification (Passport) and the “Boleto Turistico” or touristic ticket.

Whit a travel agency:

Private service:

Whit a private service, using private transportation and guide, you can make not only the visit to Sacsayhuaman, is possible to, visit the other archaeological sites in the park, for example, Qenqo, Puka Pukara, Tambomachay, the white Crist or Cristo Blanco, the different alpaca factories there are in this place, and finally if you need it, make a connection to the sacred valley, the train station or finally go to the airport if is your last day.

Panoramic Buss:

You can take whit us, also the service of a panoramic buss called in Cusco “Mirabus”. The “mirabus” goes by the main streets of the historical part of Cusco, for example the UNSAAC University, and continues in the archaeological park of Sacsayhuaman the viewpoint of the Cristo Blanco from where is possible to see all the Cusco valley. Book Here.

Classic City tour:

The last form to visit Sacsayhuaman is taking a classic city tour in a short group, in the morning or in the afternoon depending on your time, this tour visit not only Sacsayhuaman includes also the Cathedral, The temple of the sun or Coricancha, and finally, Qenqo Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. It lasts only 4 or 5 hours and includes transportation and the best professional guides. Book here we have special discount for our readers.

Sacsayhuaman fortress Architecture:

Design:

Sacsayhuaman is the head or main part of the gigantic design, made by its main architect, Pachakuteq, who starting whit his government redesigned the city to make it more beautiful and greatest, the history says he personally drew the streets, giving the city the form of a puma, the representative animal of this word called “Kay Pacha” in Quechua, in this way all the structures of the main site of Sacsayhuaman represents the head of the puma and the streets its body.

Description:

The archaeological park of Sacsayhuaman is composed of 33 small archaeological groups, among which stand out the main ceremonial fortress, which was built all-around a mountain, the place has three overlapping megalithic terraces or platforms that are around 2 or 5 meters high usually. The granite rocks used for the construction have a weight between 90 to 120 tons, but the biggest one of all the structure weight around 350 tons, and is incredible all they were transported from Muyna, Rumuqolqa or Waqoto, quarries located at 20 or 10 kilometers far, and also that even working whit this giant rocks is impossible to insert a needle into the joints of the original walls

Trapezoidal doors:

The terraces that compose the ceremonial center are connected by three doors, that have the original names of the three architects who built Sacsayhuaman, Tiu Punku, Acawana Punku, Wiraqocha Punku. For today is possible to see complete only the first one.

The towers:

Above the main terraces, were build three amazing towers that dominate all the city of Cusco, they were similar to 4 levels building whit a diameter of 22 meters. The name of this towers was Muyucmarca, Sayacmarca y Pucamarca.

The Inca Throne:

The mountain located exactly in front to the main terraces is also walled, whit small terraces also of fine architecture that allow to sustain and protect the mountain of the natural process of erosion. In all this group highlights the called Inca Throne, that is big block of alive rock where was carved finely a singular site that is similar to a throne. Is interesting the acoustic of the place and the visual domain, maybe during the construction, the governors who supervise the works sat here giving orders in loud voices.

Labyrinths o Chincanas:

One of the more interesting mysteries of all this archaeological park is the Chincanas that are natural formations in the calcareous rock of the place. The biggest cave seems to be very depth and was sealed because there is information of people who disappear in this place along our history. The smallest is open to the public and connect one place whit other in less than one minute.

Slides or Suchunas:

The Suchunas or slides are natural formations that have been a fun place for many generations in the history of Cusco, These places were and are used for kids and adults who go to the place to play. Is located in the back site of the mountains located exactly in front of the main terraces.

Other Archeological sites to visit.

In the same archaeological park, there are other independent sightseeings you can visit also, for example, Tambomachay, Pukapukara, The X zone where is possible to ride horses, Qenqo and finally the statue of white Christ an excellent viewpoint of the city.

There are also other archaeological groups that are unknown because they are in this moment in process of excavation.

Sun Festival ore Inty Raymi

During the month of June, as part of the celebrations made in honor of the city of Cusco, is performed the staging of the old Inty Raymi or Sun festival of the Incas time. This activity is composed by 3 scenes, the first one in The Qorikancha or temple of the sun, continue in the main square of the city and finish in Sacsayhuaman where is possible to see the main ceremony, only remember that to appreciate this staging is necessary make a reservation for site, if you need it we’ll be happy to help you whit the reservation and not only that, we can give you an amazing experience whit the best certified guides.

Aerial View of the fortress of Sacsayhuaman:

History:

These amazing place was start to build in the years after the coronation of the Inca Pachakuteq, that happened around the year 1438 and was finished in the government of the Inca Huayna Capac, it means that was necessary approximately 70 years or more to conclude the work, 70 years in which was necessary the performance of 20000 workers, men that for sure arrived to Cusco from all the corners of the empire through the work system called “mitas” to make the different titanic works that not only consisted in the transportation of the different giant blocks of rock from the quarries of Muyna, Waqoto an d Romiqolqa (this last one located at 20 kilometers from the city , also in the incredible work to fit them through patient tests, gradually fining each detail until finally ensemble perfectly all the rocks to the point that is impossible to insert a needle in the union of the original walls.

When the Spaniards arrive in Cusco the November 14 of the year 1533, arrive at Cusco white Francisco Pizarro, Pedro Sancho de La Oz who was the first chronicler that wrote about this place, saying that was work of demons and not work of men. However, is important to remember that the longest descriptions were write by the chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega.

We found another historical fact of Sacsayhuaman during the attack to the Spaniards made between may of the year 1536 and the march of 1537 by the first Inca rebel Manco Inca, the history tell us about the intense siege of the city that win also Sacsayhuaman for the Incas until his forces were weakened and they have to retreat to their barracks of the town of Calca in the sacred valley of the Inca. During this last battle is make the reference to the legendary warrior Cahuide called originally Tito Cusi Huallpa who defending bravely one of the towers that are not possible to see today on Sacsayhuaman preferred to die before be captured by the enemy, and he prefers to jump.

Subsequently whit the irreparable fallen of the rebel resistance of the Incas, the place was buried how was a tradition from pre-Incas times when a place fell into disuse, maybe also the Incas wanted the place does not to be used more by the Spaniards, and along the centuries, it was destroyed because many of their sacred rocks were used to build many churches that decorate today the city of Cusco, including the cathedral of Cusco, and until the last century it was used as a quarry for the construction of the houses of Cusco, but luckily it was declared National culture heritage or “Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación ” in the November 11 of the year 1983 whit the law number 23765.

The June 24th of the year 1944, in this place, was celebrated for the first time the sun festival or Inty Raymi that is celebrated until our days on the same date every year.

June 24th of 1944 started to build the White Christ of the city. Work that finishes exactly I the same date of the next year.

On February 03 of 1985, Sacsayhuaman was the scenery of the coronation of the Virgin of Carmen of Paucartambo by pope Juan Pablo II who in the middle of a terrible rain that covers an amazing quantity of people, made the coronation of one of the more important religious sculptures we have in Cusco.

Mystery and curiosities of The Sacsayhuaman Fortress

Is incredible, but more than 70 % of all Sacsayhuaman is still underground.

Many of the more important structures are aligned whit planets like Venus, as well as the constellation of the southern cross and solar events how the equinoxes and solstices.

In 2016 a group of German researchers was making research in the soils of Sacsayhuaman and unintentionally they found something really interesting, they discovered that the density of the rocks that were used in the base of the walls were different to other rocks of the wall, it was like this first rocks had been elaborated and covered whit some type of shell, this attributes allowed them to be more flexible between the heavy walls and the impact of a possible earth quake. What is incredible is that even if the Incas discovered a mixture similar to de cement, they used it just to give their walls more resistance and they don’t use it in the other parts of the wall where they used really great hardness rocks.

You know there is a drink called Sacsayhuaman? yes, there is we show you how to prepare it.

The first impression this place gives, make the people remain skeptical thinking that this amazing place was built only by humans without technology and many people start to create fantastic theories that said that Sacsayhuaman was built by aliens, however, to understand how it was possible, is necessary to stop thinking like a modern man, and first forget our individual sense because this town considers the man how the first work force and he give all his life to the patient realization of his work that was continued by other generations along the time.

We talk also about the Chincanas or mysterious caves in Sacsayhuaman, there are fantastic stories that say these caves connect whit important places as the temple of the sun or the Qorikancha, this could not be verified.

Reconstruction:

here we show you a video where is possible to see a reconstruction of the old Sacsayhuaman in the Incas time.

Tickets for Sacsayhuaman:

To visit Sacsayhuaman, you have to buy the “Boleto Turistico de Cusco” either the full ticket or the half ticket, remember that impossible to pay only for this place. If you want to know more about this ticket and buy it, click the next image and we’ll help you also to buy it.https:

Attention Schedule

Sacsayhuaman is open every day from 9:00 in the morning to 15:00 in the afternoon.

Weather:

The Weather you will find in this place is the same of the city of Cusco, however is necessary to tell you that this place is very windy and is worse as the day goes by.