Sacsayhuamán

Information

Sacsayhuamán or Saqsaywaman is an archaeological park located on the outskirts of the city of Cusco, at about 3700 meters above sea level.

It is a hilltop fortress. The Incas built it from the 15th century AD until the beginning of the 16th century AD, and then when the Spaniards arrived they destroyed most of it.

Today you can see a main wall formed by three layers of zigzag walls built with huge boulders weighing tons, with trapezoidal gates typical of Inca architecture. There are also remains of structures such as tunnels and rooms. At the top you can see a stone circle about which there are 2 theories, one that says that it would be the base of a destroyed tower and another that it would be an astronomical observatory.

To get there from Cusco, very close to the city is the southern entrance to the park, exactly on Don Bosco Street. You can walk from the city centre, but you have to take into account that the city is at a high altitude and it is a considerable effort, especially when walking uphill. In any case, it is advisable to take a taxi, as it is a short trip. To enter you must show your Cusco tourist ticket, or if you don't have one, you can pay for it there.