INTIHUATANA
This is a promontory that towers slightly above the other buildings. Terraces have been built on all four sides, forming a kind of pyramid with a polygonal base. Access is via two wide staircases, one to the north and the other to the south. The southern staircase is the most interesting, having been carved from a single stone for most of its 78 steps. At the very top is the Intihuatana stone (Quechua for "the sun is attached"). The rock itself has a few steps for the priest to access and place his offerings.
The polygon-shaped stone is approximately 1 metre high and 2 metres in diameter, carved in a single piece. Its different faces cast shadows in relation to the movement of the sun at different times of the year. This made it possible to predict climatic changes, and therefore important times for agriculture throughout the year. The movement of the stars was also monitored. The shadow cast by the small central pillar was used to measure the passage of time. This is why it is also referred to as an "Inca sundial".
The Intihuatana is said to radiate its own energy. Some theories speak of an energy vortex on which the city of Machu Picchu was built, with the Intihuatana at its center. In 2023, the site was only open for a few hours; it has since been closed to the public due to a tilt in the structure that supports it. It can be bypassed via Circuit 2.
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