Machu Picchu: Sacred Plaza

The view from Machu Picchu's Sacred Plaza makes one appreciate the superb craftmenship of the Inca. Surrounding the plaza are the most important buildings of the city. The Principal Temple is an example of excellent Inca stonemasonry, with its large stone blocks polished smooth and joined perfectly.

The jumbling of the stones in one corner is due to the settling of the earth over the years, and not to any defect in construction. The Inca used no mortar to hold their walls in place; they relied upon precisely cut stones, geometry, and female and male joints in the corners and foundations. Their best-built structures withstand the passing of centuries, and even multiple earthquakes, without suffering.