Sacsayhuaman

 Sacsayhuaman, The Head of the Puma



Sacsayhuaman



It is found 1 kilometer away from the San Cristobal Church, in the City of Cuzco. This

arqueological remain has an extension of 3000 hectares and is placed on the highest mountain that surrounds the city of Cuzco.

The city of Cuzco was shaped with the form of a puma by the 9th inca Pachacutec (Tupac Inca Yupanqui). For this he channeled two rivers that passed accross the city of Cuzco so that it made the outline of the Puma, beign Sacsayhuaman the head of this Puma.



Cuzco's Pumas' shape





The Arquitecture of Sacsayhuaman is well known for the incredible presicion at fitting giant pieces of andesita rock that reached the weight of 350 tons. This arqueological remain has 3 floors consisting in 3 gigant walls that reached their peak at a ceremonial center. This construction was a temple in honor of the God Iyapa, the God of lightning, thunder, and rain, for this reason the stones are placed so that the gaps between them create the shape of a lightning.

Let it be clear that Sacsayhuaman wasn't a fortress designed to fortify the city of Cuzco and neither to harden the control of the Inca; as it was already mention, Sacsayhuaman was a temple in honor of the God Illapa, the God of lightning, thunder, and rain.