Pisac Inca Ruins

Pisac Archaeological Complex

Pisac Archaeological Complex

Písac is a Peruvian village in the Sacred Valley on the Urubamba River. The village is well-known for its market every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, an event which attracts heavy tourist traffic from nearby Cusco. One of its more notable features is a large pisonay tree which dominates the central plaza. The sanctuary of Lord of Huanca, home to a sacred shrine, is also near the village. Pilgrims travel to the shrine every September.

The area is perhaps best known for its Incan ruins, which lie a on a mountain at the entrance to the valley. The ruins are separated along the ridge into four groups: Pisaqa, Intihuatana, Q’allaqasa, and Kinchiracay. Intihuatana includes a number of bathes and temples. The Temple of the Sun, a volcanic outcrop carved into a “hitching post” for the Sun (or Inti), is the focus, and the angles of its base suggest that it served some astronomical function. Q’allaqasa, which is built onto a natural spur and overlooks the valley, is known as the citadel.

The hillside is lined with agricultural terraces constructed by the Inca and still in use today. These terraces were created by hauling richer topsoil from the lower lands by hand. They enabled them to produce surplus food more than would normally be possible at altitudes as high as 11,000 feet. With military, religious, and agricultural structures, the site served at least a triple purpose. Besides a country estate, it is thought that Písac defended the southern entrance to the Sacred Valley, while Choquequirao defended the western entrance and Ollantaytambo fortress the northern.



Pisac craft market

Pisac is a town in the Sacred Valley near the Urubamba River. The village is known for its market every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, an event which attracts heavy tourist traffic from Cusco. The main square is a fun place full of colorful and various handycraft items for sale.