One of the major Incan sites in the Sacred Valley, Pisac is estimated to have been built around 1440 CE as a royal estate of Inca Pachacútec. Unfortunately, Pisac was not spared the wrath of the Spanish in the 1530s, including their standard “loot and pillage” approach. What remains is impressive, considering that the terraces are still in use today.
Here’s a breakdown of the major sections of Pisac Archaeological Park area.
Canchisrácuy
As you enter Pisac Archaeological Park from the top carpark, this will be the first set of buildings that you come across. This location is well positioned to monitor over the main terraces.
Intihuatana
The most important neighbourhood of the park, yet it is poorly signposted so it’s easy to get distracted by the terraces and Qalla Q’asa. The key feature is the eponymous Intihuatana (translated as “the hitching post of the sun”). Look for the precision-cut stone blocks, an exterior rectangular set of walls and a semicircle inside. This is the Templo del Sol (Sun Temple), with the central carved rock altar (looks like a letter “D”) being used for measuring the sun, and for animal sacrifice. This altar is in perfect alignment for the winter solstice in June. To the West of the altar is a carved rock that was used for astronomical observation. This carved rock represented the three Andean religious phases: the sky, the earth, and the underworld. There’s also water fountains and channels associated with ritual bathing.
Nearby to the Intihuatana group is a building referred to as la casa de dos pisos (two storey-house), showing off two design styles employed by the Incans.
La Ñusta Encantada
A local legend of “the enchanted princess”, a rock shaped like an Andean woman with saddle bags on her back. This is visible if you look South from the path that leads up from Pisac to the archaeological park.
P’isaqa
Built on the South Eastern side of the park along the Chongo gorge, this was the original village of Pisac. The semi-circular layout has 23 buildings to explore and has amazing panoramic views across the valley.
Qalla Q’asa
The citadel area of the park is considered a military fort. Here you can explore a variety of rooms, enclosures, lots of stairways (some quite narrow) and passageways. Look for the three-metre long tunnel to the cliffside.
Tankanamarka
This impressive wall of tombs is nestled into the Linliy mountainside along the Quitamayo gorge on the Western side of the park. There is estimated to be approximately 10,000 tombs in this Incan cemetery. These graves were desecrated by the Spanish in search of the personal belongings that Incans were buried with in anticipation of the next life.
Terraces
There are three main terraced areas spread around Pisac. Similar to elsewhere in the Sacred Valley, the Incans hauled up soil from lower altitudes to use in the garden beds of the terraces. This was an effective way of recreating climatic conditions of different altitudes, growing a variety of crops.
The most captivating of the terrace groups is definitely the semi-circular group that is nestled into the mountain on the North Eastern side of the site, from 2995m to 3,450m. Depending on how you count, there are at least 16 different levels, with five being sub-divided by smaller retaining walls.
On the Eastern side of the park and leading out from the ancient village of P’isaca is a large group of terraces that gently flow down the hillside. Water channels have been cut through to improve irrigation. The jagged retaining walls help separate the beds to be used for differing purposes.
The third terraced area is a mere 200m from Pisac town, on the hike up towards the Intihuatana. This is a small group of 40 terraces, positioned to take advantage of different weather conditions to the remainder of the terrace groups.
Terrace wall
A non-continuous wall that stretches along the Eastern side of the mountain from Qalla Q’asa down to the Intihuatana. The stones are stereotypical Incan design, with some particularly large blocks visible. Along the way, keep an eye out for las puertas (the doors), five doors that you’ll pass through. The most notable of these doors is named Amaru Punku (Door of the Snakes) owing to its decorative motif.
Tiyanacuy
A small neighbourhood area facing West is named after what appears to be a two-person sofa carved of stone.
Warehouses
Referred to as los depósitos (the deposits) or almacén (warehouses), there are six buildings found to the South East of P’isaqa. Each building had small ventilation windows, used to maintain good storage conditions for harvested seeds.
