Agriculture, Gate and Cemetery

Machu Picchu Architecture

The citadel is divided into two sectors: the agricultural (terracing) and the urban, where there are main squares, temples, palaces, storehouses, workshops, stairways, cables and water fountains which run through both sectors, which measure 20 and 10 hectares respectively. It is clear that the architectural design was based on Cusco, the capital of the Inca empire. Machu Picchu was built according to its natural surroundings, with its constructions following the natural curves and dips and rises in the land. The archaeological excavation that took place after Bingham discovered the ruins showed the land was previously given granite foundations with little surrounding soil. The agricultural and urban sectors are split by a dry ditch, the result of a geographic fault line.



The following chapters describe the most important constructions in each sector.



The Control Gate

This is made up of a three-walled room with a view with several windows, which can be found in front of the main gateway. There is a go panorama from here of the agricultural and urban sectors and the surrounding landscape. It is a good idea to take photos from this angle as it gives the visitor a good view of the complex.

Upper Cemetery and Ritual Stones

In every Inca city, the dead were buried on the outskirts of the town, which is where in this case Cusco archaeologists found human remains. In the upper part, they also found sculpted stones that belong to the area, which indicated the Incas used the stones to make offerings to their gods. On this same piece of ground lies a granite boulder sculpted with steps. But the most striking feature is that it is pierced with a ring, the purpose of which is unknown. This ritual boulder is very similar to that of the ñusta-hispana in the Vilcabamba I ruins. In the upper part one can see a body-shaped spot as if people had been placed on their backs.