Terraces of intipata

Intipata is a set of Inca platforms and enclosures, located between the Archaeological Site of Wiñaywayna and Intipunku, at an altitude of 2,840 m. Inside the hostile Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. During the Inca era, the terraces or cultivation terraces were built on the slopes of the mountains adapting the shape of these.

Intipata platforms are an attraction beyond the historical origins and function; It is today, a landscape resource, they are lost at times on the road to appear, then, attached to the natural curve of the mountains that keep a beautiful harmony with their surroundings.

In Intipata there is evidence of irrigation canals, the terraces are of considerable size, to allow the development of large-scale agriculture, it is clearly seen that they gained land even in the most inaccessible sites.

It is also seen that they used different layers of padding on the terraces, it is not ruled out that these platforms have also been built to prevent erosion of the land where they would build their ceremonial centers.

Intipata, is a good example although small because of the concern that the Incas had, in finding ways to improve soil conditions, for agriculture and it is seen that they allowed to take advantage of rain and irrigation water, through their irrigation channels , which communicated at their different levels.

The construction of the Intipata platforms, needed not only a good land, a good technology for its construction but also an efficient workforce, all this together resulted in true engineering works, which solved the nutrition problems of our ancestors, techniques that if used today, would probably in part help alleviate the nutritional situation of the Andean population.