Huchuy Qosqo Peru, receives the denomination in Quechua: Cusco small name that it received at the beginning of the 20th century; precisely because of its architecture similar to the city of Cusco.
In the period of the Incas it has been known as: Qaqyaqawana or Qaqyaqawana, Quechua word, which refers to “from where lightning is observed”, executed during storms. On August 19, 2003, it was proclaimed Cultural Heritage of the country.
Huchuy Qosqo : Location
This archaeological zone is located on a small plain at an altitude of 3,670 meters above sea level in the upper third of the mountain, in the municipality of Lamay, province of Calca, 50 km north of Cusco.
Its location is privileged, like Machu Picchu, its buildings extend over Urubamba or the Yucay Valley. From there, visitors can admire the other side of the Sacred Valley and the endless snow-capped mountains. In addition, they can enjoy the pure beauty of the Pitusiray snow-capped mountain and, farther away, the city of Calca.The average temperature varies between 11 °C and 17 °C.
History of Huchuy Qosqo
According to Pedro de Cieza de León in Señorío de los Incas, Wiracocha, the eighth Inca ruler, built the palaces of Huchuy Qosqo. Later, he left Cusco during the Chanca invasion while Pachacútec led the Inca resistance.
The Spanish chronicler Juan de Betanzos said that after giving power to Pachacútec, also known as Inca Yupanqui, Wiracocha spent his final years in the Qaqyaqawana Valley and died at the age of eighty.
Meanwhile, historian María Rostworowski explained in her book Historia del Tahuantinsuyo that Wiracocha chose his son Inca Urco as his successor. However, Inca Urco became irresponsible because of his ambition for power and his bad behavior.
However, the Inca royalty rejected this decision and started planning to replace the second son of Wiracocha with Prince Cusi Yupanqui. At the same time, tension and social unrest continued to increase in Cusco.
To make matters worse, the Chancas arrived at the gates of the capital and prepared to destroy the city, creating one of the darkest moments in Inca history.
In the year 1438, Wiracocha left the city towards his destination and, accompanied by his son Inca Urco, sought refuge in his palaces in the Urubamba valley, where Huchuy Qosqo was.
After the Spanish conquest, Gonzalo Pizarro found a mummy that probably belonged to the Inca Wiracocha and ordered it burned. Descendants of the Incas hid the ashes in a container that was discovered many years later by the chronicler Polo de Ondegardo.
What happened to Huchuy Qosqo?
Due to its buildings and remains found in the area, it is believed that it was an administrative and military center around Pisaq, with numerous buildings in the area.
In this area it is possible to observe Inca constructions with fine and perfect stone structures and grain deposits called Qolcas, located below the main enclosure of Huchuy Qosqo. This storage system is useful for storing and preserving food, since this area is an important agricultural center for the production of corn.
Construction of Huchuy Qosqo Cusco
Wiracocha and his descendants needed many workers for these constructions. Therefore, the people of the Inca Empire were required to help build Huchuy Qosqo through the mit’a system, together with skilled artisans and specialists.
In addition, the royal lands served as large country palaces and, at the same time, as fortifications to defend against enemies and rival groups.
In Huchuy Qosqo, visitors can admire one of the most beautiful architectural works of the Inca Empire. The site still preserves impressive structures built with great intelligence and knowledge using stone, adobe, and mud materials.
In addition, the walls were designed with a slight inward slope, which helped them resist earthquakes, harsh weather, and the passage of time. As a result, these constructions remain a clear example of the advanced engineering and technology of the Incas.
The construction of the enclosures has a slight internal trend, which guarantees better behavior during earthquakes. As you can see, the windows have a trapezoidal shape. They are narrow at the top and wider at the bottom, and each opening is covered by a stone lintel placed across 4 to 5 rows of stones.
Buildings in Huchuy Qosqo
One of the most outstanding characteristics of Huchuy Qosqo is the location of the set on a slope towards the natural slope of the mountain, the result is very aesthetic. Among its buildings you will find:
A “Kallanka”, which is of great importance to house the Inca officials; it is at least 40 to 50 feet long. All three are also famous buildings, one with three floors, with two floors of carved stone and high adobe, while the other preserves an adobe-based structure.
The third building was originally a rectangular structure made of large adobe bricks. It was probably used as a place where imperial women learned their traditional work. In addition, the site includes large terraces, impressive cliffs, a spacious square, and a massive Inca gate that perfectly controlled access to the city.
The water supply at the site is an irrigation canal built by the Incas, lined with perfectly connected rocks to prevent water leaks of about 800 meters and several small irrigation reservoirs. When the Spanish arrived, they used the site as a farm and demolished other Inca structures to build the largest reservoir we see today.
How to get to Huchuy Qosqo?
To get to the Huchuy Qosqo Trek Review archaeological complex, it is necessary to hike through three different paths:
1. Tambomachay – Huchuy Qosqo
The first option is a 2-day, 1-night trek along ancient Inca trails. During the journey, travelers cross mountain paths and walk near beautiful lagoons with stunning views of the snow-capped Andes mountains.
In addition, the tour begins at 3,800 meters above sea level in Tambomachay, reaches its highest point at 4,300 meters, and finally ends at 2,800 meters above sea level.
This means that there is a significant unevenness, which invites you to camp under the stars and the tranquility of this place.
2- Chinchero – Huchuy Qosqo
The second route passes through Chinchero and begins in Taucca, a small town near the beautiful Piuray Lagoon. During the 3-hour hike, visitors can admire the shining lagoons, ducks, huallatas, and llamas grazing along the trail until reaching the Andes mountains.
3- Lamay – Huchuy Qosqo
Another route on foot is going up from the town of Lamay, about 2 hours of walking through a narrow and steep path. It is impossible not to admire the incredible architecture and the beautiful landscape of the Sacred Valley. Even today, it is surprising that we still do not fully understand how the Incas developed such advanced architectural techniques.
To visit this and other architectural wonders of the historic city of Cusco, remember to contact Machu Picchu Peru Tours, which will help you reach all the dream sites and take you the best experience. Do not hesitate to take our 1-day hike to Huchuy Qosqo!
