The two areas

Agricultural Zone

In the agricultural zone there are mainly terraces for farming but there are also some buildings like Guardian houses or the surveillance stationings.

Urban Area

The urban area is fenced by a wall that separates it from the other area, it's still divided into two parts:

  • Hanan

  • Hurin

This is a social division in fact in the first part there is the royal residence and religious structures while in the other zone there are dwellings and prisons.

Holy square

It's at the centre of the city and it was one of the most important zones in Machu Picchu, there are two temples because it was a place of worship but there's also the minister's house.

Temple of the Sun

It was a sacred temple that was built to celebrate the sun, where they used to pay tribute and give offerings to the sun, which was a basic element for Inca's culture.

Intihuatana Stone

It is a sculpted granite rock that is supposed to have been used as a solar clock or a calendar.

It is set on the top of a large terraced pyramid near the royal plaza, it has become an iconic feature of Machu Picchu