Pisac
City / RuinsSouth America
Major Inca site in the Sacred Valley of Peru, 30 km north of Cusco, occupying a 6 km mountain ridge above the Urubamba river at elevations of 3,000-3,500 meters. The site contains the largest pre-Columbian cliff necropolis in the Americas (thousands of shaft tombs in the limestone cliffs facing the valley), an extensive agricultural terrace system still partly in use today, the precision-polygonal Intihuatana ceremonial center, and the Q'allaqasa fortified district. Two stylistically distinct masonry traditions are present : fine Inca andesite ashlar above, and a substantially older and more refined polygonal substrate at the base of the principal walls.
Look Closer — this site carries open questions: polygonal, interlocking masonry; stones fitted without mortar, almost no gap; stones heavier than the period's tools could lift.
Open in the Atlas map →
Walkthrough videos (3)
Megalithic Pisac in PeruSecrets in Stone
Ancient Pisaq In The Sacred Valley Of Peru: Inca And Megalithic AspectsBrien Foerster
Megalithic PisacSorcerers of Stone
Nearby sites
- Tambomachay14 km
- Inkilltambo15 km
- Rumiwasi15 km