Must-see attractions in Machu Picchu

  • Intipunku

    The Inca Trail ends after its final descent from the notch in the horizon called Intipunku (Sun Gate). Looking at the hill behind you as you enter the…

  • Intihuatana

    This Quechua word loosely translates as the ‘Hitching Post of the Sun’ and refers to the carved rock pillar, often mistakenly called a sundial, at the top…

  • Sacristy

    Behind and connected to the Principal Temple lies this famous small building. It has many well-carved niches, perhaps used for the storage of ceremonial…

  • Principal Temple

    The ‘temple’ derives its name from the massive solidity and perfection of its construction. The damage to the rear right corner is the result of the…

  • Temple of the Sun

    Just above and to the left of the ceremonial baths is Machu Picchu’s only round building, a curved and tapering tower of exceptional stonework. This…

  • Temple of the Three Windows

    Important buildings flank the remaining three sides of the Sacred Plaza. The Temple of the Three Windows features huge trapezoidal windows that give the…

  • Inca Drawbridge

    A scenic but level walk from the Hut of the Caretaker takes you right past the top of the terraces and out along a narrow, cliff-clinging trail to the…

  • Sacred Plaza

    Climbing the stairs above the ceremonial baths, there is a flat area of jumbled rocks, once used as a quarry. Turn right at the top of the stairs and walk…

  • Ceremonial Baths

    If you head straight into the ruins from the main entry gate, you pass through extensive terracing to a beautiful series of 16 connected ceremonial baths…

  • Royal Tomb

    Below the Temple of the Sun, this almost hidden, natural rock cave was carefully carved by Inca stonemasons. Its use is highly debated; though known as…

  • Temple of the Condor

    This ‘temple’ is named for a carving of the head of a condor with rock outcrops as outstretched wings. It is considered the centerpiece of the Prison…

  • Central Plaza

    The plaza separates the ceremonial sector from the residential and industrial areas.

  • Prison Group

    At the lower end of this area is the Prison Group, a labyrinthine complex of cells, niches and passageways, positioned both under and above the ground.