The Raqchi complex is still some miles from Cusco, on one of the many Inca roads. It had administrative, military, commercial, and religious purposes. Most impressive are its 4 km city wall, its scores of round storehouses, and its Wiracocha Temple, largest of all known Inca roofed structures.
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| A look at the city walls, here atop a terraced hill |
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| Artificial pond and irrigation channel |
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| First look at the temple--300-some feet long, 82 feet wide |
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| Eleven columns supported the sloping roof |
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| Our guide shows how it was constructed |
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| View from stern |
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| The one remaining intact column |
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Now looking into a housing/administrative section; note
leaning walls; the trapezoid was the Inca construction
ideal, especially for walls in earthquake country; the whole
wall, you might say, is integrally-buttressed |
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Among the scores of round storage buildings, called quilqas; all 33 feet in
diameter; this one has been reconstructed, most others just the stone
foundation; why so many? you ask: armies march on their stomachs,
as Napoleon (or Fred the Great) once said; everywhere else in the empire,
the storage buildings were rectangular; no one knows why the round
construction here |
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Full view of central structure of Temple; the little roofs are modern, to prevent
further degradation by rain |
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| In the municipal area |
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| Spare parts |
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| Our first large Inca ruins...impressive; and not even on a mountain-top |
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