Early morning it is comfortably cool. The site is still vacant. And the sun shines at blue sky.
The site was built in the 15th century by the Inka
The Inka civilisation had no written language and following the first encounter by the Spanish conquistador Baltasar Ocampo, no Europeans are recorded to have visited the site from the late 16th century until the 19th century.
Several terraces on the ridge of the mountain
As far as historical knowledge extends, there are no existing written records detailing the site during its period of active use.
The terraces are linked to each other by a system of stairs
All the names of the buildings, their supposed uses, and their inhabitants, are the product of modern archaeology.
Typical Inka construction.
Precise stonemason skill
Beyond a further checkpoint there is a crossroad for the higher Huayna Picchu and the smaller Huchuy Picchu.
Uphill and narrow stairway
View on Rio Urubamba
View over Machu picchu
The condor temple