Machu Picchu (part two)

Machu Picchu sits in the middle of a group of mountains and is more than a bit mysterious. Why did it get built there? What is its purpose? How, how did it get built? The engineering and construction are truly miraculous. And when one understands the solstices at Machu Picchu, the skills and knowledge needed to build the structure, well, it is almost unfathomable. 

The engineering marvel is built so that the winter solstice in Peru, the rays of the sun perfectly illuminate the ceremonial stone within the temple. This symbolizes the Incan connection to the sun and the start of winter. I didn’t see it in person, but have on the google and it is amazing. How did the Incas do this? What engineering and astronomical skills did they have that could have possibly created this architectural masterpiece? 

There are a lot of unanswered questions about Machu Picchu and not knowing how it was built and created, and more importantly, the purpose of this remarkable complex all adds to its allure. Machu Picchu can be a place where we foist our dreams and beliefs and hopes on. To me, it’s a pilgrimage, but to many others Winston Churchill had it right when he said about Russia, “It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” That’s true here as well. But I like to think that Machu Picchu is the place that the Incas went to find an answer, maybe seek some solace, or maybe just be amazed. I know I was.