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Machu Picchu fascination
Part of the fascination felt by visitors who discover the
scenery of Machu Picchu is due to the lack of accurate information on the origin
of the place and, therefore, on the reasons why the Inca decided to occupy and
settle this area. One's imagination can wander freely among the walls and
ancient structures and gaze at the hot, humid surroundings which extend towards
a virgin wood. The testimonies are eloquent. Nobody can escape from the feeling
of being in a marvelous world with an exceptionally rich and varied nature.
Also, one can not help but suspect that, although there are no documents which
verify such events, something important occurred in this place during the Inca
period. The past is covered with a mantle of mystery.
A few years ago, some papers from the 16th century were revealed which refer to
the existence of this region and the presence of pre Hispanic ruins. Up until
that time, there were testimonies by 19th century travelers, including the
Frenchman Charles Wiener and the Italian Antonio Raimondi, who had pointed out
the existence of important archaeological ruins in the area. But up until the
time of the arrival of Bingham there were no reports from explorers who had
bothered to recognize and study them.
Based on the general inventory of what is presently known about the place and
the surrounding area, what is most important is the documentation of a hacienda
which belonged to the Augustinian friars who received these lands as an
inheritance in the 16th century. They had been the witnesses of the life and
death of the final Incas. They also lived with the Incas in this region and
undoubtedly were familiar with these landscapes and structures, as well as those
which the Inca chose further within the wood for their refuge and that of their
loyal subjects, known with the name of Vilcabamba. The Augustinians attended the
conversations held between the Spanish emissaries who attempted to demand the
submission of the Incas and win them over to the Spanish crown and Roman
Catholicism. The tension experienced by the Incas, who were under siege from the
Spanish expeditions, affected the relationship between the friars and the native
masters. In the midst of such conflicts, the lack of understanding between the
two bands led some friars to pay with their lives. For all of these reasons, the
presence of the Order of St Augustine in the region continued up until the 19th
century, when the, members of this religious order left Cuzco. Their goods and
lands were sold or purchased by private parties or by the State.
If you are planning a vacation what better than a
Peru Family
Vacations
Through the Augustinian friars and the documents which they left behind, we know
that agricultural activities were conducted on vast expanses of land in the area
during the colonial period. However, such records fail to mention the presence
of significant pre Hispanic structures in the Machu Picchu area. Of course the
people in the settlements were not concerned with such matters. The friars were
interested in the income from the lands and the native labor force. These were
not times to think of increasing the archaeological heritage by a few more
stones, much less based on lands which were considered isolated and far off from
the point of view of the inhabitants of the city of Cuzco.
The Incas were finally subdued when Tupac Amaru was executed by order of the
Viceroy Francisco Toledo in 1572. The references to Picchu which can be found in
16th century documents were erased from the memory of those who played a leading
role in the colonial history of Cuzco. The tax records of the Augustinian friars
are the only testimony of the existence of these stones which conserve the
mystery and charm of pre Hispanic life in the region. Bingham had not seen such
records.
100 Years Celebration to Machu Picchu
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Program |
Duration |
Highlights |
 Machu Picchu Classic 4 Days |
4 Days and 3
Nights |
Cusco, Machu
Picchu, Sacred Valley |
 Machu
Picchu Special 4 Days |
4 Days and 3 Nights |
Cusco, Koricancha,
Sacsayhuaman, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley of Urubamba |
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New Pisaq & Machupicchu 5 Days |
5 Days and 4 Nights |
Cusco, Ruins of Pisac,
Sacred Valley of the Inkas, Ollantaytambo, Maras, Machu
Picchu, Sacred Valley of Urubamba, Aguas Calientes, |
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Cusco The Incas Empire 5 Days |
5 Days and 4 Nights |
Cusco, Koricancha,
Sacsayhuaman, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay, Urubamba
Valley, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes |
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Machu
Picchu Light Adventure 6 Days |
6 Days and 5 Nights |
Cusco , Horse Back riding
to Cusco Ruins, Sacsayhuaman, Agus calientes, Machu
Picchu. |
 Salkantay
Adventure Budget 8 Days |
8 Days and 7 Nights |
Cusco, Rafting, Salkantay,
Soraypampa, Chaullay, Aguas Calientes, machu Picchu. |
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