Fotos can't really show this overview and give you the feeling we experienced that moment. From above this city seems to be small and fragile betweeen the high mountains it is surrounded by. (mi)

Even today it is not clear, wich meaning Machu Picchu at the time of the Inkas really had. Many cases were made yet but I like the following best: It should have been the summer residence of the Inka and a secret place for the sun-virgins (see left at a ceremony with Coca-leaves). Furthermore a big treasure of gold should have been hidden here. The city has many secret passages and caves and probably many of them are still not discovered. (mi)

The architecture of Machu Picchu fits perfect to the hillside situation. Steep grades everywhere were clever used by terraces and stairs. Sometimes it seems as if the houses "grew" directly out of the rocks.
Only in the early morning hours it was so quiet. After the first busses with tourists arrived, the site fills up and after 10 am finally the ruins were completely filled with people. At every corner you could here guides explaning and narrow pathes were reason for big traffic jams. Since several years Peruvians complain this desecration of their sacred place, which is above all marketed by a foreign company. (mi,ma)

The Inkas have at least been as powerful as the Romans and definitely a lot richer. Their empire extended from Equador to Chile. They in fact didn't have a script but a kind of picture–language and the so called Kipus, knod–cords, which kept information about every village and every town and wich eases the administration of the big empire.
above: wallpainting in Cusco, ri.: Kipus in a museum near Pisco (mi)

Mila early in the morning at the entrance of the city, at the "Huaca Puncu", the sacred gate. (ma)

Cause of the overgrow by the jungle Machu Picchu has been a long time hidden and undescovered. Since a great deal of houses and walls have been uncovered and restaurated. But the roofs are only put on very few huts. Therefore you get a better overview an it generates this amacing beautiful panache of the ruin site.
On the big ceremony place today always graze some llamas, who sometimes whisper something into the ears of the tourists. (ma, mi)

How incredible precise the chiseler-art of the Inkas was you can admire at every importand building in this town. Temples were made of rocks wich weigh tonns but fit perfect without any joint. Left at the "mausoleum of the kings" you can spot, how exact the wall was integrated into existing rock formations. (mi)

Here you can get an impression, how steep the Inka trails sometimes were built. This is an easy part up to the Waina Picchu (the peak on the right). Other parts have been way steeper and not more than little trail betreen rocks. Tourists hike the way from Cusco to Machu Picchu (first half by train) today in four days. The Inkas should have run this distance in only two days. But they alternated every 5 miles (as our guidebook said). (ma,mi)

From the top of the Waina Picchu you have a great view over the whole site. Here should have lived 2000 people. The town has been nearly self–sufficient, like you can see from the many terrace–gardens. Waterchannels assured the supply with water. Still the city causes lots of mysteries to the archeologists. This and the unique location and beauty gives Machu Picchu its mystery. (ma)

At the End of the sightseeing you have to take again the train on the highest railtrack of the world. The Machu Picchu–valley station is located at an altitude of 6,690 ft, but on the way to Puno at the Titcaca Lake it rises up to more than 14,000 ft. You have to pay a lot to to Perurail to use this masterstroke of engineering, sneef. (ma)