INCAN ARCHITECTURE

MACHU PICHU

Machu Pichu was declared a Peruvian sanctuary in 1981 and an UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE IN 1983.In 2007 it was voted one of the NEW SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. All these because of the especial and intricate masonry and the difficulty of the area in which this estate was made. At that time they didn’t have the especial tools we have nowadays.There are many stone staircases around to allow access.

• Stones were cut with such an exact precision that they would fit perfectly to the others around and in many constructions no mortar was used.Most of the time the stones of a structure were of different size and shape . Adobe walls were also common.

• Here in Machu Pichu they used local stones . The most common shape of their buildings were rectangular without internal walls roofed with wooden beams and thatch. Wall apertures,doors,windows and niches have trapezoidal shape. Monolithic lintels were used a lot.

• Lintels are supports placed on top of doors.

• The most common way of arranging this buildings was the KANCHA which is a rectangular enclosure holding 3 or more buildings placed symmetricaly around a courtyard. Several KANCHAS were placed together to form blocks in Incas settlements.

These are the different types of Masonry:• Encased:Blocks are not aligned and of different sizes and

shapes• Sedimentary:Stones are laid out in horizontal rows• Cellular : SMALL BLOCKS• Cyclopean : Gigantic stones are usedUsually the walls were inclinated and the corners were rounded. This was very efficient since they had eartnquakes or movements.