What is the architecture of the Inca civilization?

Most Inca buildings were made of stone, built in a rectangular pattern with a wooden or thatched roof. Multiple structures would share a courtyard, creating an assemblage called a kancha. The Inca also built roads, platforms, and stepped terraces for agriculture on the sides of mountains.

Who was the founder of the Inca civilization?

The Inca first appeared in what is today southeastern Peru during the 12th century A.D. According to some versions of their origin myths, they were created by the sun god, Inti, who sent his son Manco Capac to Earth through the middle of three caves in the village of Paccari Tampu.

Who is the architect of Machu Picchu?

Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui
Machu Picchu is believed to have been built by Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, the ninth ruler of the Inca, in the mid-1400s. An empire builder, Pachacuti initiated a series of conquests that would eventually see the Inca grow into a South American realm that stretched from Ecuador to Chile.

How was the Inca empire created?

In some mythical tales, the Inca was created by the sun god, Inti who sent his son, Manco Capac to Earth. Legend has it that he first killed his brothers and then led his sisters into a valley near Cuzco, where they settled down around 1200 A.D., according to History.com.

How did the Inca farm?

To solve this problem, the Inca used a system known as terrace farming. They built walls on hillsides and filled them with soil to make terraces. Terraces are wide steps on the side of mountains. Without the terraces, the mountainous landscape would have been too steep for farmers to water, plow, and harvest.

How was Machu Picchu architecture advanced?

One temple wall in Machu Picchu has 33 corners. The gray granite used to build the city was widely available at the ridge. Stonemasons shaped large granite blocks by pounding rocks on them, they were able to flatten and create smooth edges and corners so that each piece interlocked with the next one to create a wall.

What was impressive about Inca architecture?

The most common shape in Inca architecture was the rectangular building without any internal walls and roofed with wooden beams and thatch. There were several variations of this basic design, including gabled roofs, rooms with one or two of the long sides opened and rooms that shared a long wall.

What are some examples of Inca architecture in Peru?

The capital of the Inca empire, Cuzco, still contains many fine examples of Inca architecture, although many walls of Inca masonry have been incorporated into Spanish Colonial structures. The famous royal estate of Machu Picchu (Machu Pikchu) is a surviving example of Inca architecture.

Who was the first ruler of the Inca Empire?

The ruler at the height of the empire was Inca Yupanqui, who renamed himself Pachacuti (Cataclysm) and ruled between AD 1438-1471. Most scholarly reports list the date of the Inca empire as beginning with Pachacuti’s rule.

How did the Inca influence the conquistadors?

Inca architecture heavily influenced the architecture of the conquistadors and any surviving conquistador buildings were most likely built on Inca walls and an Inca foundation. Inca architecture had fueled economy of Peru and tourism to Peru and has changed the way the world looks and ancient architecture.

How did the Incas build their cities?

In newly conquered territories the Incas built administrative centers using pre-existing buildings and adding new elements, such as in the Sanctuary of Pachacamac located south of Lima. The Tiawanaku culture had the greatest influence in Inca architecture, the use of stone in their buildings was a legacy that the Incas continued.