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Sacsayhuaman, Cusco

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Sacsayhuaman, Cusco
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Sacsayhuamán - Cusco
Sacsayhuamán
by Paul2001
Things to Do in Cusco: Sacsayhuaman tips and photos posted by real travelers and Cusco locals.
Sacsayhuaman
• 97 Photos
• 58 Reviews

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Cusco Sacsayhuaman ReviewsTips 11 - 20 of 58  
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Sacsayhuaman: Sacsayhuaman
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  • Updated By chrissyalex on July 15, 2003
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  • Sacsayhuaman - Cusco
    Sacsayhuaman
    by chrissyalex
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    Sacsayhuaman (the pronounciation sounds very similiar to "sexy woman") are Inca ruins located right above Cusco. The city of Cusco was originally built to resemble the shape of a puma and Sacsayhuaman was the head. This fortress was built to protect the town. It was constructed with huge boulders and without using mortar.One of the stones weighs over 125 tons! It is guessed that it took over 20,000 men to build Sacsayhuaman and many lives were lost trying to drag these huge stones.
    You can see some spectacular views of the city of Cusco from Sacsayhuaman.
    Admission is with the tourist ticket

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  • Directions: About a 45 minute uphill walk from Cusco

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    Sacsayhuaman: Sacsayhuaman
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  • Updated By Amareyui on June 10, 2003
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  • Sacsayhuaman - Cusco
    Sacsayhuaman
    by Amareyui
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    Sacsayhuaman is an interesting place to visit, with a humourous name to boot.
    Sacsayhuaman was first built to be a Temple complex, and it wasnt until the arrival of the Spanish that it became a fortress. This ruin was supposed to be the head of the body that the four corresponding ruins composed of. Its symbol was the satisfied falcon.
    The zagzig base is a design of Inca religious importance. After climbing up to the top, the foundation of the demolished five storied temple is still intact. This is a good place to take some photos of the belowed Cusco.

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  • Directions: From Plaza de Armas, turn to San Blas and hike up the steep slope when you reach Choquechaka.

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    Sacsayhuaman: The ZigZag Base
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  • Updated By Amareyui on June 12, 2003
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  • Sacsayhuaman - Cusco
    Sacsayhuaman
    by Amareyui
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    The zigzag base's basic bulwark is composed of three sets of parallel walls set together for over 400 metres. The purpose of the zigzag construction, which resembles the teeth of a puma, is for both better defense of the fortress and an Inca belief to contact with powerful supernatural beings. The largest block measures 8.5 metres and weighs over 300 tonnes.

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    Sacsayhuaman: The Base of The Sun Temple
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  • Updated By Amareyui on June 10, 2003
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  • The Base of The Sun Temple - Cusco
    The Base of The Sun Temple
    by Amareyui
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    This was the base of the Sun Temple, which used to be one of the more important ceremonial building in the Inca Empire. It was destroyed by the Spaniards after the conquest.
    The fifth story, which was the highest of the temple, was used to stored sacred tribute to the sun god. The offerings ranged from gold and silver artifacts to alpaca wool weavings to coca leaves.
    The foundation is still clearly traceable. It looks like a giant propeller inside of a square.

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    Sacsayhuaman: Building the walls
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  • Updated By El_Sueco on July 14, 2003
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  • The inka wall technique - Cusco
    The inka wall technique
    by El_Sueco
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    The Spaniards led by Franzisco Pizarro were impressed by the great stone walls at Sacsahuaman. On their march up to Cusco they had seen a country inhabited by a friendly and hardworking people with high culture and organization. They had not thought that there could be a civilization with such evident signs of high level knowledge and skill.
    No stone work in the old world (Europe) could be compared with this. Not only it was the greatness of the construction and the weight of these huge stones. It was also the excuisit masonry in the joints between the stones. Each stone was carefully cut in curved shapes to fit into each others, stone to stone. The technique they used are forgotten and not fully understood today.

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    Sacsayhuaman: Fortress or monument
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  • Updated By El_Sueco on June 9, 2003
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  • The three levels of Sacsahuaman - Cusco
    The three levels of
    Sacsahuaman
    by El_Sueco
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    The popular opinion is that this is a fortress. But at the same time it was a monument that intended to demonstrate power and to give respect; a holy monument dedicated to the Sun God.

    Looking at the map of Cusco, you can see that the city plan forms the shape of a puma and its head is Sacsahuaman.

    The monument consists of three platforms in three levels, each more than 300 m long. The first one is made of huge stones, the biggest 9x5x4 m (which gives a approx weight of 400 metric tons). The stones of level 2 and 3 are not so big as level 1.

    At the north end there is a huge stone that is not worked over, and which the incas did not succeed to take to the monument.

    When with great efforts the indians were dragging the stone, it fell and killed hundred of indians.

    Guaman Poma (the man who did all the beautiful inca drawings) says that the stone ended up bleeding and was impossible to move from the location. From that time it is called the "tired stone" (la piedra cansada or sacusca).

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    Sacsayhuaman: Sacsayhuaman
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  • By Paul2001 on January 12, 2006
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  • Sacsayhuamán - Cusco
    Sacsayhuamán
    by Paul2001, 3 more photos
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    Sacsayhuaman is one of the most important Pre-Columbian ruins in Peru. These were apparently the defensive walls built by the Inca in the 15th century to protect Cusco from the Puma approach. There are other archeologists who believe after finding many ritualistic relics on the grounds nearby that Sacsayhuaman was actually a place for religious ceremony. This is actually what my tour guide believed. The fact that the walls are designed in a zigzag manner might indicate this. However it is possible that the zigzag was meant to look like a jaguar's teeth from afar.
    The walls are actually designed in three rows of ramparts. The stonework is probably the most famous aspect of the walls. So well cut and fitted were the stones that it is impossible to slide in a thin piece of paper in between the stones. This is all the more remarkable for the fact that the stones are so huge in size. One stone reaches 300 tons in weight. Even more remarkable is that they have been without the use of mortor. Spanish estimates figured that it must of taken 20,000 men to cut and place these huge stones together. My tour guide even suggested that aliens were responsible for the construction of the site. He lost me there.
    I visited Sacsayhuaman by way of a half day bus tour. This is a quite sensible option if you hope to visit Sacsayhuaman, Qenko and Tambo Machay all in a short span of time. It should be noted that walking between these sites is not considered to be altogether safe because of bandits. Another note that should be mentioned. This is a very popular attraction so you will not be alone. Expect large crowds who will get in the way of your photos.
    Sacsayhuaman is open from 7:30am to 5pm. Entry is included the Cusco Tourist Ticket.

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  • Directions: Located on the slopes north of Cusco

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    Sacsayhuaman: Taking away the stones ...
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  • By El_Sueco on May 21, 2003
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  • View towards Cusco - Cusco
    View towards Cusco
    by El_Sueco
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    The spanish took away much of the stones from Sacsahuaman (on the side that is towards the city) to use for building construction. They also did use the stones from the three reservoirs on the top.
    Nevertheless, this huge construction still is very impressing and is the proof of a now almost mythic people, the incas, that in such a short time 70-80 years, was able to form and rule an imperium of such richness and greatness.

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    Sacsayhuaman: Sexy Woman
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  • By Saasaan on August 30, 2006
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  • Sacsayhuaman - Cusco
    by Saasaan, 4 more photos
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    Ha people tend to say SexyWoman instead of Saqsaywaman ! This is a beautiful fortress Sacsayhuamán (also known as Saksaq Waman) is a walled complex near the old city of Cusco. Some believe the walls were a form of fortification, while others believe it was only used to form the head of the Puma that Sacsayhuamán along with Cuzco form when seen from above. Like all Inca stonework there is still mystery surrounding how they were constructed. Thanks to an as yet unexplained precision in stone-cutting, the structure is built in such a way that a single piece of paper will not fit between two stones.

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    Sacsayhuaman: Sentinel Sacsayhuaman
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  • Updated By cruisingbug on January 21, 2005
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  • The largest stone at Sacsayhuaman, Cusco, Peru - Cusco
    The largest stone at
    Sacsayhuaman, Cusco, Peru
    by cruisingbug
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    Not far above Cusco are the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, which, like every tour guide at each ruin will say, are the most important ruins in the region. Our tour guide approached us halfway through, and only asked for a donation for his time. He explained how the massive stones were carved using pre-formed wooden molds and how they were put into place, using dirt planes. He also pointed out various animal formations in the rocks: the condor, the snake, the llama, etc., and took us to the "eye".

    The ruins themselves are impressive - even more so if you're still acclimating and are struggling up to the top of the "eye." Cusco was supposedly laid out in the shape of a puma, Sacsayhuaman being the head, and in the middle of the head is the "eye" - currently cordoned off for excavations, but still very visible. From the top is a stunning view of the red tile roofs of Cusco as well.

    The site is still used by locals - every year in June, the Inti Raymi festival is celebrated here.

    Entry is with the $10 Boleto Turistico, or $6 separate admission. We hired a taxi for the day, or you can walk up from Cusco (looked pretty steep).

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  • Directions: north of Cusco, uphill

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