By: Jude Limburn
Submitted: 2009-07-16 04:08:59 | Word Count: 563
Machu Picchu is a pre Columbian Inca site in Peru, situated in a mountain ridge above Urumba. Known as “The Lost City of the Incas,” this site has incredible spiritual and mythological symbolism, dating back to ancient Inca civilization. For centuries, tourists have embarked on the Inca trail trek to reach this historical wonder, and have felt the long history and spiritualism of the site.
The Incas began building Machu Picchu in 1430, but it remained relatively unknown for nearly 5 centuries. It was not until 1911 that international attention was brought to this cultural goldmine, when a US historian, Hiram Bigham discovered the Inca trail to Machu Picchu and wrote about it in his published works.
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Today, Machu Picchu and the Inca trail are very well known, and the ancient city has been deemed a UNESCO world heritage site, and it has been labeled one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It has three well known buildings: Intihuatana, Temple of the Sun, and Room of Three Windows.
It also still serves as a centre for spiritualism, with shamans and mystics claiming that the site has a strong energy, being more powerful during the solstice and new moon. Many visitors taking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu are amazed at its ability to inspire awe in those that travel there.
Intihuatana – A Place of Worship
The Intihuatana is a column of rock rising from a stone the size of a grand piano. Many people see it as the highlight at the end of the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, and attribute great spiritual energy to it, being an ancient tool of Inca ritual.
Translated literally, the name means ‘tying the sun.’ It is believed that it was used by the Incas to perform a ritual during the winter solstice. In attempts to prevent the sun from disappearing completely, a priest would hold a ceremony to tie the sun to the stone. Today, the Inca trail to Machu Picchu is always particularly busy during this time, populated by both tourists and spiritualists.
The Temple of the Sun
On arrival at Machu Picchu from your Inca trail trek, you will see a dry moat. On the other side of this moat, lies the Temple of the Sun. It is the only building on the site that is round, and its architecture is superb.
It was used by the Incas as a solar observatory, and their excellent skills allowed them to build the temple such that the sun’s rays flood through the window, illuminating the tower with expert precision, at sunrise during the summer solstice. Trekking along the Inca trail to Machu Picchu is well worth the effort just for this spectacle alone. The window was also used to observe the constellation or Pleiades, which was used by the Incas to determine the rainfall and perfect time for crop growing.
The Room of Three Windows
Another of the most incredible buildings to visit in Machu Picchu is the Room of Three Windows. Situated high within the mountain, you can peer out over the Inca trail, breathing in the fresh air filled with the energy of this spiritual region.
Dedicated to the god of the sun, Inti, this site is a place of spiritual solar worship. It follows the same pattern of ingenious Inca design, where the stones used in its construction somehow fit together without mortar.
Author Resource:-
Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who specialise in Inca trail to Machu Picchu treks (http://www.mountainkingdoms.com/machu-picchu-inca.ihtml). They also offer treks and tours worldwide.
