The fortress of Sacsayhuaman

An imposing example of Inca military architecture, Sacsayhuaman is located 2 km from the city of Cuzco. The fortress was hewn from vast granite blocks to protect the city from marauding tribes from the eastern jungle, the Antis region. Sacsayhuaman ("satisfied hawk" in Quechua, the Inca language) is divided into three vast zig-zagging terraces and flanked by massive stone walls, some up to 300 meters long.

As it lies close to Cuzco, and due to the dimension of its stones -some of which stand 5 meters high and weigh over 300 tons- the site was used as a quarry to provide stone for colonial buildings in Cuzco.