Natural Stone Carving at Qenqo
Qenqo was once a waca, or shrine, that was carved out of the existing rock rather than built out of quarried stone. The Incans regarded mountains and stones with great reverence, or even as objects of worship. Each mountain had its own apu, or god. According to legend, the great Inca Pachacuteq successfully fought off an invasion of the Chanca tribe of the north when the stones of Cusco rose up to fight beside his warriors. After the victory, Pachacuteq oversaw the rebuilding of Cusco and initiated the building of Sacsayhuaman, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Machu Picchu.
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1... ... read more 
