Inside Machu Picchu Citadel: Navigating the Lost City of the Incas

Machu Picchu Citadel, the fabled Lost City of the Incas, never fails to impress travelers with its impressive stonework and terracing, its lofty position on a rocky and inaccessible mountain, the stunning natural greenery of its location, and the enduring mystery of its purpose. Its isolation allowed it to remain unscathed by the destruction of the Spanish Conquest and the years following. Furthermore, the superior construction, with precisely cut and fitted stones, has resisted seismic movements, heavy rain, and mudslides- without the assistance of mortar. As the most complete remaining example of Incan architecture and urban planning, Machu Picchu ignites the imagination.

The citadel was built in harmony with its surroundings, making use of extensive terracing for buildings and agricultural crops, with stone stairways allowing for access to different levels. The site boasts more than 200 buildings and is roughly divided into an eastern urban sector and a western agricultural sector, which are divided by a great wall.

The eastern urban sector is divided into two as well. Within it, there’s the ‘upper town’, which was used for religious and ceremonial purposes and houses the temples and gathering plazas, and the Torreón observatory tower. Here, you’ll find the most interesting features of Machu Picchu Citadel, those dedicated to Inti, the sun, the supreme deity of the Incas: the Inti Watana solar clock, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. The Inti Watana served as the center of every Incan city. It was likely an astronomical calendar, as it points directly to the sun during the winter solstice.

The other part of the eastern urban sector is the ‘ lower town’, where the warehouses for crop storage are located. It includes the residential district for lower-class people, where you’ll find the simplest houses. As you enter the residential district for nobility, you’ll see the home of the amautas, the wise men, and of the ñustas, princesses. The latter boasts trapezoidal rooms. There is also a mausoleum with vaulted interiors and carved designs, and the three-walled Guardhouse, whose open side overlooks the Terrace of the Ceremonial Rock.

The cave of Inti Mach’ay is perhaps the most architecturally significant structure located at Machu Picchu. The masonry is some of the finest which has been found, and a unique tunnel-like window only permits sunlight to enter the cave for several days a year, during the December solstice. For the rest of the year, the cave was inaccessible. It’s believed to have been used to celebrate the Royal Feast of the Sun, when boys would be initiated into manhood.

While some travelers prefer to purchase packages such as Machu Picchu Overnight and Machu Picchu Full Day in order to make all of their arrangements in one step, over travelers prefer to coordinate the trip themselves. Even if you choose to purchase your own train and bus tickets, reserve your own hotel in Aguas Calientes, and buy your own entrances to the Machu Picchu archeological site, consider paying for a guided tour of the site itself. You might be surprised to know that this is often the cheapest part of a tour package, especially if you simply ask to join a group at the site itself. (The bulk of a package tour actually goes to transport.) While you should still research the site beforehand in order to have a greater understanding and appreciation of what you’re seeing, the guidance of a specialist helps to enrich the experience further. If you’ve invested in making it to Machu Picchu, consider spending the extra ten bucks to join a group and make the most the most of your time.