This morning we visited the Museo Machupicchu Casa Concha. The museum is organized around the pieces excavated in 1912 at Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham. It includes all the pieces returned by Yale University in 2011. The videos about Machu Picchu and the scale model were especially interesting. I learned a lot that I think will make our visit to Machu Picchu more interesting.
Cusco was the capital and center of the Inka empire. This afternoon we took a bus tour of Cusco. Our first stop was Qorikancha, the Inka temple. The temple walls were gold plated when the Conquistadors arrived. The Spaniards built a church on top of the temple. When that church was badly damaged in a 1953 earthquake. the Inka walls were revealed and are now on display.
Inka walls are amazing. There is no mortar. The stones are cut so perfectly that they fit incredibly tightly. They are beautiful.
We also visited other Inka ruins around Cusco including Saqsayhuaman, Q’enqo, and Tambomachay.
Tomorrow we head to Ollantaytambo.
Marion's Blog 