Hello friends,
Today will be my third and last post about Machu Picchu, the Inca citadel in the Sacred Valley of Peru. I would like to share these last pictures with you because I found the place awe-inspiring, and hopefully through my pictures you will also see what I saw.
Let's look now at the famous rocks of Machu Picchu, that luckily escaped destruction from the Conquistadors.
Funerary Rock
The Funerary Rock is believed to be the place where Incan nobility were mummified (1).
The Intiwatana
The Intiwatana is a ritual stone associated with the astronomic calendar of the Inca. It was aligned with the sun's position during the winter solstice (2).
Did you notice the butterfly in the previous picture? According to Chaos Theory, a butterfly flapping its wings in New Mexico can cause a hurricane in China!
Sacred Rock
The Sacred Rock likely served as a communal area for meetings and performances. Its shape follows the shape of the sacred mountain across the valley.
And last but not least, the Principal Temple. The Principal Temple is a fine example of Inca stone masonry, with its large stone blocks polished smooth and joined perfectly. The jumbling of the stones in the right corner is due to the movement of the earth over the years, and not to any defect in construction.
Behind the Principal Temple, you can see the people climbing up towards the Astronomical Observatory.
The Principal Temple
And as they say, all good things come to an end. I couldn't stay there for ever, it was time to go back to Aguas Calientes, the terminal, to catch the train back to Cusco. I would advise you though, if you ever visit Machu Picchu, to consider staying overnight at a local hotel, and watch the sun rise over the site. I believe the view would be something to remember.
Aguas Calientes
And that's the end of today's post. I hope you liked my pictures, and that you were intrigued by Machu Picchu. Have a good day, and we'll speak again soon!
References
1.Text from http://peruoctober2011.blogspot.gr/2011/12/machu-picchu.html.
2.Text from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inti_Watana,_Urubamba.
3.Text from http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/what-is-chaos-theory/.