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About Cusco Sacred Valley of the IncasPisac |
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The direct route from Cusco-33 Km.-is the road that wings over the mountains north of Cusco, past Sacsayhuaman, beyond Tambomachay it crosses a pass and drops down into a broad basin. Far Below you to the left as you enter the valley lies the village of Taray; lower down is a superb view of the modern village of Pisac, and the majestic ruins and terraces on the mountain spur high above it.
The Inca terracing systems were used mainly for the cultivation of maize, considered a prestige crop, and a sacred sites grown for the preparation of chicha used in ritual libations. Maize has a long growing season, which in the highlands must be shortened as much as possible by irrigation, to protect the crop from frost. Other Inca staples - potatoes and quinoa-were grown successfully without irrigation, and at higher elevations.
Modern Pisaq is a picturesque Andean Village, typical except for the huge, spreading pisonay trees that dominate the central square.
The Market
The Village is best known for its Sunday Market (now also held on Tuesday and Thursday), which draws hundreds of tourist each week. In spite of its popularity the market retains some of its local character, at least in the part where villagers from miles around gather to barter and sell their produce. The tourist section is a mixed bag of handcrafts -the same things you see in Cusco, but sometimes at lower prices. Pisac has a sizeable cottage ceramic industry. Pots, mugs, ashtrays and beads etc. are quite cheap.
One of the attractive features of the Sunday market is the colourfulness of the local people: different dress from different areas, and all in Sunday best. After Mass-usually around 11 am -the mayors from the local villages leave church in procession, dressed in their best ponchos and mushroom-shaped hats.
Worth visiting is the old bakery on Calle Mariscal Castilla, just off the main square, with its huge adobe oven. The bread is excellent.
The Ruins
The ruins of Pisac clinc to a mountain spur a condor's nest of a place far above the valley. If the name "Pisac" ever had an specific name
It has since been lost. However P'isaca, the name of one sector of these ruins, refers to a kind of Andean partridge. Pisac ruins are filled with wonderful examples of Inca stonework and construction, set in a stupendous location. The complex seems to feature some example of almost everything the Incas did in terms of architecture, defense , religion, agriculture, roads and residential construction.
For those who are fit and like to exert themselves, it is well worth the effort of scrambling and climbing up the west flank of the mountain to reach
them from Pisac village. For softer adventurers, an equally impressive way to see them is to take the road from the village which loops up the Chongo valley, east of the ruins, to within about a kilometer of the Intiwatana temple sector. The highway is used almost exclusively by Tour buses, but taxis and combis to the ruins are often available for hire By the Pisac bridge. An advantage of this option is that you can hike into the ruins along a spectacular Inca pathway, through gateways and tunnels.experiencing as you walk a crescendo of stunning views of the Valley and Mount Pachatusan, to the south, beyond the river. Entrance to ruins is by T.T.
Recomendations:
On Foot: Take the footpath which leaves directly from the village square and climbs through steep terracing. Partway up the terraces the footpath forks. The left path takes you up the (relatively) gradual slope of the Quitamayo ( Risky River ; a possible reference to the climb). The right-hand trail makes a very steep ascent through the defensive terracing of Huimin. One way to visit on foot is to climb via the Quitamayo to the temples (1 -2 hours), then descend through Huimin on the southern tip of the spur.
By Road: There are two main pathways one can take to reach the Intiwatana sector. Both are clearly visible from the road head for part of their ways. It is possible to take either of these routes and return to Pisac village on foot thus obviating the need for and expense of having your transport wait for you.
Intiwatana. Whichever route you choose to take on the ascent, you will emerge at the temple sector of Intiwatana (Hitching Post of the Sun), noted for and named after the large rock topped with a small 1 stone pillar a great carving of many parts and elements. Here you find the finest stonework of the ruins, and some of the finest Inca masonry in existence, comparable to the enclosures of the Qoricancha but well preserved and much closer to its original appearance. It was an astronomical observatory, like all Inca temples.
