Huchuy Qosqo (Qaqyaqawana)
Huchuy Qosqo Peru receives the name in Quechua: Cusco small appellation received in the early 20th century; precisely because of its architectural resemblance to the city of Cusco.
In the Inca stage, it has been known as Qaqyaqawana or Qaqyaqawana, a Quechua word, which refers to “from where the rays are observed,” executed along the storms. On August 19, 2003, it was proclaimed a Cultural Heritage Site of the country.
Huchuy Qosqo Location
This archaeological area is located on a small plain at an altitude of 3670 m.s.n.m in the upper third of the mountain, in the municipality of Lamay, Calca province, 50 km north of Cusco.
Its location is privileged; like Machu Picchu, its constructions stretch over Urubamba or the Yucay Valley. From where you can appreciate the other side of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the endless snow caves, its pure beauty like the Pitusiray snow cave and beyond the city of Calca. The average temperature varies between 11 °C and 17 °C.
History of Huchuy Qosqo
In his second chronicle, “Lord of the Incas” by Pedro de Cieza de León, he says that Wiracocha, the eighth Inca ruler, built the palaces of Huchuy Qosqo. Who decided to leave Cusco to seek refuge in the area of the Chanca invasion when his son Tupac Inca Yupanqui (Pachacútec) ruled the Inca resistance.
The Spanish chronicler Juan de Betanzos asserted that ten years after leaving power to Pachacútec or Inca Yupanqui, Wiracocha spent his last days in the Valley of Qaqyaqawana, dying at the age of eighty.
What was it about Huchuy Qosqo?
Its constructions and remains found in the area are believed to have been an administrative and military center around Pisaq, with numerous buildings.
In this area, it is possible to observe Inca constructions with acceptable and perfect stone structures and grain deposits called Qolcas, located below the main enclosure of Huchuy Qosqo; this storage system is useful for food storage and preservation, as this area is an important agricultural center for maize production.
Construction of Huchuy Qosqo
Wiracocha and his descendants needed a lot of workers for the construction. Therefore, the citizens of the Inca Empire were obliged under the mit’a system to contribute to the construction work of the Huchuy Qosqo together with other specialists and artisans. Royal lands also serve as large field palaces and, at times, as fortifications to defend against rivals.
In Huchuy Qosqo, one of the most beautiful architectural works of the Inca Empire is displayed, where several architectural structures, made with great ingenuity and wisdom, mixed with lithium material, adobe, and clay for their construction. The walls with a slight interior slope withstand telluric movement, the rawness of time, and the inevitable passage of time; they are proof of their high technology and knowledge of these constructions.
The construction of the enclosures has a slight internal trend, which guarantees better behavior during earthquakes. As can be observed, the «windows» are trapezoidal, slightly wider at the top and broader at the bottom; the opening is closed by a stone lintel, whose length opens between 4 to 5 rows of stones.
Buildings in Huchuy Qosqo
One of the most outstanding characteristics of Huchuy Qosqo is the location of the set on a slope towards the natural slope of the mountain; the result is very aesthetic. Among its buildings, you will find:
A “Kallanka is of great importance to house the Inca officials; it is at least 40 to 50 feet long. All three are famous buildings, one with three floors, two floors of carved stone, and high adobe, while the other preserves an adobe-based structure.
The third building was originally a rectangular-based structure of large adobe bricks, probably intended as a place for imperial women to learn their work; In addition to large terraces and cliffs, a huge square and a large Inca gate that served perfectly as a gate to control the passage of the city.
The water supply at the site is an irrigation canal built by the Incas, lined with perfectly connected rocks to prevent water leaks of about 800 meters and several small irrigation reservoirs.
When the Spanish arrived, they used the site as a farm and demolished other Inca structures to build the most significant reservoir we see today.
How to get to Huchuy Qosqo?
To get to the Huchuy Qosqo Trek Review archaeological complex, it is necessary to hike through three different paths:
Tambomachay – Huchuy Qosqo
The first is a 2-day, 1-night trek through ancient Inca trails, crossing mountain trails and walking near beautiful lagoons with views of the snow-capped mountains of the Andes; This tour begins at 3,800 meters above sea level in Tambomachay, the highest point is at 4,300 meters above sea level and ends at 2,800 meters above sea level.
Chinchero – Huchuy Qosqo
The second route goes through Chinchero, starting in Taucca, a town in the beautiful Piuray Lake, an average of 3 hours of walking, during which you can see the lagoons shine, on it ducks, hallmates and llamas grazing that look very impressive, until reaching its Andes.
Lamay – Huchuy Qosqo
Another route on foot is going up from the town of Lamay, which takes about 2 hours of walking through a narrow and steep path. It is impossible not to experience the absolute beauty of the architecture and to think of the landscape of the Sacred Valley; it is strange that we still cannot explain how the Incas developed such detailed architectural techniques.
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