The giant fortress of Sacsahuamán – Cuzco

Alpacas and lamas in front of the impressive wall of Saqsayhuamán - Cuzco.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Le Cuzco, capitale de l'empire des Incas, était protégée par une énorme forteresse, appelé Sacsayhuamán, composée d'une triple muraille en dents de scie avec des angles rentrants et sortants. Chacun de ces murs mesure une hauteur de près de 10 mètres. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
A 3.500 mètres d'altitude, la cyclopéenne forteresse de Sacsahuaman domine le Cuzco. Avec ses trois remparts mégalithiques en dents de scie, ce «Maginot» inca «fait honte des pyramides au Nil et comme Atlante, au ciel, arrime l'homme» (Tirso de Molina, 1583-1648). Sertis comme des gemmes précieuses par on ne sait quels fantastiques joailliers, certains blocs de ce puzzle géant, hauts de 9 mètres sur 4 d'épaisseur, pèsent plus de 350 tonnes!

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
De nos jours comme aux siècles passés, les lamas chargés de besaces joliment rayées qui ne doivent pas peser plus de 25 kilos se reposent dans l'ombre gigantesque des remparts de Sacsayhuamán.

At 3500 meters above sea level, the cyclopean fortress of Sacsayhuamán dominates the city of Cuzco. With its three monolithic ramparts in the shape of saw teeth, this “Maginot Line” of the Incas “overshadows the pyramids on the Nile ...” (Tirso de Molina, 1583-1648). Some of these blocks of this giant puzzle, set like gemstones by unknown and great jewelers, are 9 meters high, 4 meters thick and weigh more than 350 tons! - 1969

Alpacas and llamas graze in front of the impressive zigzag walls of Sacsayhuamán, a monumental archaeological site of the Inca civilisation situated directly above the city of Cusco. The fortress was built in the 15th century under the Inca ruler Pachacútec Yupanqui. The heaviest stones in the complex weigh over 100 tonnes. The blocks were hewn with such precision and fitted together without mortar that often not even a sheet of paper can fit between them. The historic city plan of Cusco was laid out by the Incas in the shape of a puma – the symbol of the earthly world. Sacsayhuamán formed the head of the puma, whilst the zigzag-shaped walls represented the animal’s teeth (or the lightning bolts of the thunder god Illapa). The entire complex served primarily as a ceremonial and religious centre. Today, only around 20% to 40% of the original structure remains. The Spanish removed the smaller stones to build colonial churches and houses in Cusco; however, the gigantic megaliths forming the foundations remained firmly in place. – 1969

At 3500 meters above sea level, the cyclopean fortress of Sacsayhuamán dominates the city of Cuzco. With its three monolithic ramparts in the shape of saw teeth, this “Maginot Line” of the Incas “overshadows the pyramids on the Nile ...” (Tirso de Molina, 1583-1648). Some of these blocks of this giant puzzle, set like gemstones by unknown and great jewelers, are 9 meters high, 4 meters thick and weigh more than 350 tons! - 1969

A re-enactment of the Inti Raymi (‘Festival of the Sun’), a traditional ceremony from the Inca period honouring the sun god Inti. Originally established by Inca Pachacútec around 1430, the festival marks the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere and the Inca New Year. The event takes place every year without fail on 24 June. The photograph shows people dressed as Inca rulers, wearing traditional headdresses, colourful robes and carrying ritual vessels. – Cusco – Peru – 1976

The photograph shows a large crowd sitting on the historic Inca stone walls of the Sacsayhuamán fortress in Cusco, watching the re-enactment of the ancient rituals and dances of the traditional Inti Raymi sun festival up close. – Peru – 1976

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