Overview

Below an image that puts the buildings into place. Again, Hiram Bingham assigned the name to the buildings — the real function of the buildings is unknown.

Temple of the Sun

The building is only building with a rounded shape. It might have been used by the Incan astronomers or for ritual purposes. A rock inside the structure might have served as altar. During the the June solstice, the rising sun shines directly through one of the  windows onto the rock which indicates a purposefully alignment between sun, window, and rock. The imperial residence is thought to be right next to it.

The building itself is not accessible to the general public.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Royal Tomb

Just below the temple of the sun, there is a natural cave that was carved out. Inside, there are niches and an altar. There was no evidence that a mummified body was ever stored there, so the name is purely speculative.

 

Ceremonial Baths

Next to the temple of the sun, there runs a series of 16 connected baths cascading down. These are part of the elaborate water system of the Inca city.

 

 

Pictures around the Temple of the Sun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The House of the Inca

The house of the Inca is a complex of buildings thought to be used by royal nobility, i.e. the Inca king whenever he stayed in Machu Picchu.  As with the purpose of all buildings, this is merely speculation.

An interesting detail are the water mirrors in some house. Archaeologists believe that they were used for ritual or spiritual purposes.

 

 

 

Roof Fixations

The following couple of pictures show the infrastructure used to fix the wooden roofs on top of the buildings. Felix and myself learned about this the day before in the Museo Manuel Chávez Ballon.