Sacsayhuaman National Park

The Archeological Complex of Sacsayhuaman or Sacsayhuaman National Park comprises 33 archaeological sites, the best known of which is the Sacsayhuaman Fortress. The building was probably used for religious purposes but, due to its location and style, the Spanish and contemporary writers assumed it was a military structure. The building qualifies as a cyclopean construction due to the size of its stones, some of which weigh between 90 and 300 tons, cut to fit together without the use of mortar. On 24 June each year, the fortress is the setting for the Inti Raymi or Festival of the Sun. The other main archeological sites within the complex are: Qenko considered a sacred place in which ceremonies were performed in honor of the Sun, the Moon, and the stars; Puka Pukara, which holds numerous halls, inner plazas, aqueducts, watchtowers, and paths; Tambomachay would probably have had an important religious role linked to water and the regeneration of the earth.