Pisac

Just like all the cities in Cusco, Pisac is an important archaeological center that encompasses the mystical Incan constructions, in contrast to the natural richness of the Urubamba Valley.               

Although it is very difficult to know the autochthonous names of Cusco's ancient cities, Pisac is one of the few examples of original names that are known. It derives from the Quechua word "pisaq" or "p'isaqa", which means partridge (a gallinacean type that abounds in this area). According to the traditional Incan architecture, the cities were built based on figurative designs of animals. Pisac was partridge-shaped, as we can tell from its name.

Location
Pisac is a district of the Calca province, located at 32 km to the northeast of Cusco. Its altitude comprises 2,950 m.a.s.l.

Mythology
Pisac does not escape from the famous Incan legends. The city presents a statue that has a very particular legend.

It is said that the cacique Huayllapuma had a daughter called Inquill; who had to get married with the man that could be able to build, just in one night, the bridge over the Vilacmayo River (a very significant bridge for the defense of the place). In spite of the hard work, Asto Rimac, a handsome prince, decided to take the challenge and ask for the hand of the princess. The authorities of the place arranged everything so Asto Rimac could start the work; meanwhile, the princess had to climb a hill without turning round; because, otherwise, she and her fiancé would turn into rock. Almost at dawn, the prince finished the work but Inquill could not stand any longer and turned round thus becoming a stone figure up to now.

PISAC Old Town
The Archaeological Pisac is one of the most beautiful monumental centers; since it combines the landscape with the impeccable finishing of its constructions.   
It is located at the highest hill of the city, on a dry and rocky surface.
Together with Cusco and Piquillacta, Pisac closes a 33-km equilateral triangle, precisely planned to protect the city from possible attacks of the Antis (Anti derives from "Andes" or mountains"), who were their worst enemies.

Just like it happened with other Incan constructions, some investigations state that it was not a fortress but a "royal hacienda", property of Inca Pachacutec. This hacienda was composed by cultivation terraces, household and ceremonial structures and aqueducts that provided the water for the agricultural development.
Some constructions, distributed along Pisac Old Town or the Archaeological Pisac are:

The wall
The wall does not have the conception that we currently know. Formerly, it corresponded to a continuous edification that was not necessary for the entire city. Some of its stones have amazing sizes.

It gathers five doors, located at the eastern part of the complex. The only door that has a lintel is called Amaru Punku, which means "Door of the Serpents".

The tunnels
There are two tunnels located at the Pisac hill. The first tunnel extends to the north and is 16-meter long; and the second one goes up the top and it has three meters and is much narrower.

The Incan bridge
The Pisac complex had more than one suspension bridge. One of them was located at Paccháyoc, where its bases still remain. The other bridge was located at the western side of the Intiwatana.

The stockrooms
They were constituted by six colcas with equal sizes that were arranged in lines. These structures must have been used as Incan stockrooms. They are located 200 meters away from the Intiwatana and it is necessary to pass through abysses so as to reach them. The path that connects these two colcas ends up in a 102-step grand staircase parallel to a water channel.

The sets of cultivation terraces
The agriculture was the main economical activity of Pisac. Therefore, there are 16 agricultural sectors that have complexes and advanced cultivation terraces. Five of these sectors are separated by walls.
Pisac is the place with the greatest stylistic variety of cultivation terraces. It has at least 14 different shapes of cultivation terraces that had been constructed from 2,995 to 3,450 m.a.s.l.

The Incan cemetery
It is located in front of the archaeological complex, only separated by the Quitamayu stream. It is an astonishing place located in a slope, belonging to the Linliy Mountain, which is almost one hundred meters high and has several kilometers of extension.
This cemetery is known as "Tankanamarka" (tankay= to push, marka = place; it can be translated as "launching place"), and must have contained 10,000 graves approximately.

The Incas believed in reincarnation, that is why they kept their mummies with all their properties and the necessary food (provisions) for their new life. When the Spaniards found out about this tradition, they did not hesitate to violate the graves and plunder the jewels, metals and precious stones. Nowadays, we can see small holes as a result from the profanations.

The "city" of the towers
Pisac is also known as the city of the Towers, since it has more than twenty towers, constructed on the projecting edges of the mountain, with a perfect finishing; very similar to the constructions of Sacasyhuaman. The precise function of them is still unknown; we can only say that some of them would have been associated to the water channels that existed in that place.

The Enchanted Ñusta
It is a place situated in the road to the south, which leads to the Ñustayoc hill. It is the statue of a woman that carries her knapsacks on her back. According to the city's tradition, this woman is Inquill, a princess that could not stand the curiosity to see the finished work of her fiancé.

Tiyanacuy
It is a small-size community located in the lower part of the city. Here you will be able to find a perfect seat for two persons, sculpted in stone.

Calla Casa
It is a group of buildings with irregular designs, rustically made, which are placed on the mountain top. It is difficult to get there and it is necessary to pass through some dangerous cliffs.

Písaca
To the southeast we can find another set of rectangular edifications, arranged in a curve, whose walls are considered to be the most perfect of the entire Tawantinsuyo. Near to this precinct, there is a construction that is similar to a vantage point. From here you will have an excellent view of the valley and the current town of Pisac.

The Intiwatana
This is one of the most significant ceremonial monuments of Pisac. Its location, from the mountain's upper part, domains most of the valley.

The type of its walls is "sedimentary" (the polished-stone couplings have a rectangular external surface). Its sides are carved with hand shapes enclosed in a semicircle; that is why it is considered as the Sun Temple of Pisac.

In the middle of the building there is a stone-carved altar also known as Intiwatana, which must have been used to watch the sun movements and as an altar to celebrate religious ceremonies: the worship of the god Sun or the sacrifices of animals. Likewise, to the west of the altar, people found a carved stone that could have served for astronomical observations. This stone represented the three Andean phases of the religious world: heaven, the earthly world and the subsoil.

The altar has the shape of a letter D, and it is perfectly positioned with the sun rise, in the solstice of June. It is only possible to see a similar rock in Machu Picchu.
The fountains and water channels also characterized this zone. It is said that they had strictly religious aims due to the carving quality. The main fountain is located 20 meters away from the central door of the complex, and it has two engravings by way of handles that could have been used for ceremonial baths.

During the Incan times, the Urubamba River was canalized from Pisac to Ollantaytambo with agricultural aims. Currently, there are many vestiges of the channel's lateral walls, and the Urubamba River flows in straight line 3.3 km away from the city.

PISAC Modern Town
A fundamental feature of Pisac Modern Town is that, just like other Andean towns, it stands out due to its colonial church and its traditional Sunday fair.

The main square is full of centenary trees and small stone streets that welcome the spontaneous fairs carried out every Tuesday and Thursday. These activities highlight the inhabitants' Hispanic descent and structure.

Pisac Modern Town pays a tribute to an illustrious personage that, in some occasion, had the chance to be an exemplary governor. This is the case of the monument in honor of Bernardo Tambohuacso, a remarkable cacique of Pisac and one of the most famous neighbors.

The exploit of this cacique was to oppose the Bourbon reformations and the abuse of the colonial power in 1780. Tambohuacso planned a rebellion together with other creoles and mestizos. Unfortunately, the conspiracy was discovered and the cacique was executed only a few days after the initiation of the rebellion of Túpac Amaru, on November 17th 1780.

Pisac offers a series of attractions for its visitors. Not only has it the peace and quietness that characterize the countryside, but it also has amazing ruins and constant fairs that transform the nature of the place. From Monday to Sunday, the visitors go to the city very early so as to acquire the fair's products.

The Sunday market of Pisac has become a real tourist magnet and a cultural meeting point. Peasants and craftsmen from neighbor communities come here to offer their fabrics, pots, Pucará little bulls and silver jewels, which attract a multitude of tourists.
Likewise, the inhabitants of the twelve communities of Pisac cohabit with the customs of the modern market and the ancestral traditions of exchange and reciprocity. And, above all, we can experience that festive environment that is so characteristic of Andean fairs.

For those who love traditions it would be a fascinating experience to spend the night before the fair in Pisac and get up early so as to witness the awakening of the town and the sellers' arrival.

The works start approximately at 5:30 in the morning. The square starts to become filled of men and women that arrive on foot carrying their products: fresh onions, small corn from Urubamba, fruit from Quillabamba as well as the huge variety of potatoes of the zone.

Before starting the sales and exchanges, the merchants pray so as to have a profitable sale during the day. You will be able to see that the food sale is located at the right corner, facing the square. There, the sellers offer their merchandises on the floor. Everybody seems to have their own location in the middle of the market improvisation, the craftsmen and even the vivanderas.

The particularity of the Pisac market is that its tradesmen not only sell, but they also exchange their products. For instance, those who live in the high lands supply themselves with the products originating from warm lands and vice versa.
You can really enjoy a pleasant view very early in the morning, even before dawn, it is agreeable to bump into the aroma of recently baked bread. However, the bread made in Pisac has special features. According to some experts, this is due to the famous Pisac oven, made of mud and which is relatively big.

On the other hand, the onion and cheese turnover appear as of eleven in the morning, when it is almost impossible to walk through the streets. Leaving without tasting these simple delights is almost a capital sin.

Going up to the ruins

On foot
If you had decided to go up to the ruins on foot, you should take into account that once you get to the top there is still a long way to go. Therefore, you should be in a good physical condition.

The adventure on foot lasts two hours, and it is necessary to start from the left side of the main church. You must bear in mind that the road is full of intersections, so it is advisable to follow the route directly in order to avoid getting lost.

One of the most common recommendations, if you are going to make a route like this, is to take water and appropriate clothes, besides being very careful with the road because it is not duly signposted. Once in the ruins, you will find seller offering different products for the exhausted travelers.

You will also find the "little models" that are nothing but inhabitants dressed with the typical clothes waiting to be photographed so as to get a tip.

By taxi
The shortest visit to the city can last two hours and a half approximately. Therefore, we recommend you to go up by car and descend on foot so as to enjoy peacefully the beautiful and historical places that the city offers.

Taxis are positioned in the town entrance, after the bridge. The ascent price amounts to S/.10, and you and the taxi driver can agree upon the hour when you wan to descend so he would pick you up.

We recommend you to take the road up to the slope, which starts in the town of Chongo and has an extension of 10 km. During the way you will go through cultivation terraces and small communities that can be photographed.

By truck
The trucks or vans will take you to the ruins for a much lower price.

By bus
Buses set out from Pisac to Yucay or Urubamba.