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Ollantaytambo: The
whole complex is another National Archaeological Park. It is located
in the Ollantaytambo district, province of Urubamba. The town is
about 76 Kms. (47.2 miles) away from Qosqo by the road Chinchero -
Urubamba and about 68 Kms. (42.2 miles) by railway; at an altitude
of 2700 mts. (8856 ft.).
It is a very vast complex which central part is in the town and
its surroundings; traveling from Qosqo, from Pachar there is a large
amount of farming terraces that are already part of the complex.
Those terraces are deteriorated and most of them abandoned; it is
sad to observe that the enormous work for constructing them, today
is not appraised with some minimum conservation policies. The water
that irrigated them does not flow any more. Their stone aqueducts
that were a master work of engineering were extended by many
kilometers; but, today they do not exist any more in most of the
cases. The reason for that, is simply that today no one is
preoccupied with keeping them and because we had three centuries in
which conquerors were not interested in agriculture but only in
mining gold and silver.
Farther down are the strongholds of Choqana on
the left bank of the Urubamba River, and Inkapintay on the right
bank; they were part of the complex protective system for the Inkan
urban core. Advancing downstream are the foundations of an Inkan
Bridge, its central base is impressive and was made with huge stone
blocks. Before that central base there are two enormous boulders
placed for protecting it efficaciously as a mole breaking waters of
the river into two. Likewise, on both river banks are the two solid
lateral bases of that bridge. Originally, that was a suspension
bridge made with braided fibers of "ichu" the local wild bunch
grass, or maguey (Agave americana). Because those materials do not
last forever the bridge must have been renewed annually. Going on by
road, about ½ Km. away from the bridge is the great ancient main
gate of the Ollantaytambo Inkan City; it was part of a surrounding
wall and is named today as " Llaqta-Punku" (Town Gate).
Ollantaytambo is a compound Quechua word that is
derived from " Ollanta" that is a personal name, and " Tambo" that
is a Spanish form of " Tanpu" that refers about a city that offered
lodgings, food and comfort for travelers. "Ollanta" is the name of
an Inka Captain whose history was kept as an oral tradition and
written as drama by Antonio Valdez, a priest from Urubamba, by the
middle of the XVIII century; it was adapted for a theatrical play
and opened in 1780. It is apparently since then when "Ollantaytambo"
(Ollanta's tambo) began being used to name the town where events of
the drama were carried out. The Ollantay Drama is considered as a
classical work of Quechua literature and tells the story of a
captain named Ollanta, extraneous to the Cusquenian nobility and who
formed part of Inka Pachakuteq's army.
He was distinguished among the others because of
his bravery and great skill, but had a secret love affair with the
monarch's daughter named Kusi Qoyllur. When trying to marry her
officially his request was considered illegal because the rules in
force forbade marriage between persons of different social status.
Disappointed the young captain went deeply into Ollantaytambo and
incited its population to rebellion against the imperial army,
causing a war for a whole decade. He was finally captured thanks to
a trick of captain Rumiñawi who appeared as having been vexed and
thrown out from Qosqo and succeeded convincing Ollanta in order to
get asylum; but, during the night when everyone slept he opened the
city gates allowing the Qosqo army's entrance and the capture of
Ollanta who was taken to the capital. Fortunately for him, when he
arrived in Qosqo the Inka Pachakuteq was already dead, his son being
the new sovereign who was told about the true story, and with wise
clemency allowed the marriage of the two lovers from whose old
relationship a girl had been born and whose name was Ima Sumaq. It
is a story with a happy ending that nowadays is very popular in
Peruvian schools that in many cases stimulate its performance.
Ollantaytambo was a very important fortified
city, built as a "tanpu" and also in order to enable control of the
roads toward the "Antisuyo" (jungle). According to many historians
also in order to allow protection of the great Inkan Capital from
attacks of the "Antis", their worst enemies. Today, its name as
"fortress" is common, which in practice is improper because it did
not have just a warlike or protective duty; but, that of a complex
city with an ample urban sector and religious temples. As a
fortified city, it had some protective elements, among them a
protective wall with few entrances surrounding the town, many
"pukaras" or strongholds and watch towers strategically located.
Besides, for the noble population dwelling in this city there was a
very ample and well planned urban sector, a plaza surrounded by
important buildings and toward the town's south an impressive
"Kallanka"; that is, a building which dimensions are colossal and
completely roofed. It served as a lodge and perhaps also as barracks
for the numerous army of the region.
The present-day town is located in the same site
where the urban sector was in Inkan times. It is really interesting
because it is the only spot in Peru where it is possible to find
people living in the same buildings that served as homes for the
nobility of the Inkan Society. Some of its narrow streets still keep
their water channels where very clean water flowed for the
population use; they are by the middle or at one side. The streets
still maintain their Inkan names. The town was divided in
rectangular blocks with a very well planned geometrical layout
giving the impression of being a town designed by modern architects.
Every block was compound of two "kanchas" (apartments); the street
gates had double jamb doorways which indicate that those were real
palaces with rooms around a central patio. At least the lower part
of the buildings is original and made with "pirka" type walls that
were covered with a clay coat and possibly also had mural paintings.
Today, their thatched roofs were replaced by red tiles and it is
possible to breath a certain air of modernity as the town has
electricity and tap water; but in short, the town has still an Inkan
taste. Some decades ago in Ollantaytambo, a worldwide meeting of the
"Indian" representatives was carried out and they declared this town
as the " World Capital of Indianity". By that time there were some
efforts willing to help for an effective conservation of original
structures; in practice, it is so little what was and is done for
that purpose, and it is so sad to prove that many of its innate
elements are being lost slowly.
Towards the town's east is the Pinkuylluna hill (pinkuyllo = wind
musical instrument similar to the "quena" or Andean flute) where an
imposing huge building stands out and about which there is a lot of
myth. Some very imaginative "scholars" argue that it's been a
school, a hospital some others, jail others, and even a hurling
precipice!; according to archaeology and the Inkan architectonic
characterization it was a "Qollqa" or "Pirwa"; that is, a granary or
storehouse for food, clothing and weapons for local army. It has
many doorways and openings that allowed ventilation, and surely they
were built up there to enable protection of the stored goods.
Likewise, some other smaller buildings are located in outstanding
spots or angles of the mountain that served as watchtowers for
controlling movement of persons in the valley
Toward the western end of the town and crossing
the Patakancha (Upper Inclosure) stream is the great Plaza known as
Mañay Raqay (Pleas Plaza) which seem to keep its original name,
surrounded by sun-dried mud-brick buildings that were very important
in their epoch. Towards the west of this plaza is the entrance to
the religious sector; in the lower part there are terraces that
served for two purposes: they were farming terraces and had an
aqueduct by their southern end; likewise, they served in order to
stop erosion of the upper side protecting the most important
temples. Going up through the stairway between the terraces is the
10 Window Temple, which is named that because of the 10 trapezoidal
niches existing in its back wall; its front wall was destroyed and
today the real duty of that inclosure is unknown. Somewhat higher is
the spot of the most important temple: the Sun Temple that was
constructed with huge red porphyry (pink granite) boulders. The
stone quarry is named Kachiqhata (Salt Slope) and is located about 4
Kms. (2.5 miles) away on the other side of the valley, by the upper
side of the opposite southwestern mountains. The boulders were
carved partially in the quarries, and taken down to the valley's
bottom. In order to cross the river Quechuas constructed an
artificial channel parallel to the natural river bed that served for
deviating the river's water according to conveniences. Therefore,
while that water flowed through one channel the other was dry, thus
stones could be taken to the other side of the valley. More over,
the boulders were transported to the upper spot where the temple is
erected using the inclined plane that is something like a road which
silhouette is clearly seen from the valley's bottom. They had the
help of log rollers or rolling stones as wheels, South-American
cameloids' leather ropes, levers, pulleys, and the power of hundreds
and even thousands of men. Today, on the way from the quarry to the
temple there are dozens of enormous stones that people know as "
tired stones" because it is believed that they could never be
transported to their destination; those stones are the reason why
some authors claim that the Sun Temple was unfinished when the
Spanish invasion happened.
What is left of the Sun Temple
are some peripheral walls and the classical major wall that
according to most historians is part of the High Altar. It consists
of six enormous stone blocks which average weight is about 90 tons
and have as vertical joints some other smaller stones making a wall
that is unusual in the Inkan Architecture.
It seems that this is a
projection of the Tiawanako architecture or possibly the architects
were brought from the region of the Titicaca lake; but the final
work is entirely Inkan with joints and outer surfaces complete and
finely polished and glazed so that they could even serve as mirrors.
On the external surface of the fourth boulder (beginning in the
southern end), there are three carved stepped symbols that were
undoubtedly inherited from the Tiawanakos; they represent the three
stages of the Andean World: the "Hanan Pacha" (heaven), the "Kay
Pacha" (earth surface) and the "Ukhu Pacha" (underground). Even
more, there are some other carved bulges that were broken and which
according to divers scholars represented gods of the Andean
Mythology. It is evident the presence of the "idolatries
extirpators" who destroyed the Sun Temple; nowadays, the stones that
were part of this fabulous temple are all over the place, over the
terraces, by the plaza surroundings, in the church and curate house,
and wherever a person looks with care. More over, because of the
quality and some characteristics of the work we dare to suggest that
it was completely finished by the arrival of Spanish invaders and
that the mentioned "tired stones" were unnecessary or were supposed
to be used for some other similar buildings. Around this same sector
there are many other constructions of minor quality ("pirka" type),
and with mud brick walls that were perhaps adoratories for minor
deities; about which there is not any chronicle or reference. The
streets in this area are very narrow, this fact made many authors
believe that it was just a "pukara" (fort). However, history
demonstrates that when Quechuas and Hispanics were faced with
defeats or disadvantage for invaders, they automatically named that
site as "Indians' fortress"; as it happened in Saqsaywaman and over
here in Ollantaytambo, where the army of Manko Inka (Manko II)
defeated completely the invader troops in 1537. That victory for
Inkas happened when Manko was going toward Willkapanpa (Vilcabamba)
after 8 months of bloody war in Qosqo. Behind the religious sector
is the surrounding wall that protected this zone and the whole
Ollantaytambo fortified city.
Toward the north of the religious sector entrance
gate is a series of water fountains that because of their location
must have performed duties of "Ceremonial Fountains", that is, used
in order to worship the water god. There is one inside a mud brick
square building where water still flows; toward the east of it there
is another one baptized by tradition as the " Baño de la Ñusta"
("Princess's Bath") that shows stepped moldings in its surface below
the spillway. Farther north there are also many other fountains
constituting a vast temple dedicated to the cult of "Unu" or "Yaku"
(water). Nearby is the sector that today has the hybrid name of "
Inka Misana" (spot where the Inka says mass) that shows an aqueduct
carved in the mountain rock face and a liturgical fountain, small
stairways, double jamb niches or false openings capriciously
sculpted in the mountain surface. On the upper area there is a
carved conical bulge that was surely another "Intiwatana" (Sun
Fastener); more over, there are diverse moldings which were part of
a complex solar observatory used to measure the sun variations
during the year as well as for fixing solstices and equinoxes.
Following the Patakancha rivulet upstream are a
large amount of Inkan farming terraces that are always in use, many
of them still maintain their aqueducts. Advancing by the trail on
the right bank of the rivulet (on the left side when going up
through the valley), and after about two hours of hiking one gets
Pumamarka ("Puma's Town") that was surely an important village in
Inkan times; it is over 3600 mts. of altitude (11810 ft.).
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