Climbing the stairs above the ceremonial baths, there is a flat area of jumbled rocks, once used as a quarry. Turn right at the top of the stairs and walk across the quarry on a short path leading to the four-sided Sacred Plaza. The far side contains a small viewing platform with a curved wall, which offers a view of the snowy Cordillera Vilcabamba in the far distance and the Río Urubamba below.
Sacred Plaza
Machu Picchu
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Little is known about these mysterious ruins, located opposite the Principal Temple.
2. Temple of the Three Windows
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Important buildings flank the remaining three sides of the Sacred Plaza. The Temple of the Three Windows features huge trapezoidal windows that give the…
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The ‘temple’ derives its name from the massive solidity and perfection of its construction. The damage to the rear right corner is the result of the…
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If you head straight into the ruins from the main entry gate, you pass through extensive terracing to a beautiful series of 16 connected ceremonial baths…
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The plaza separates the ceremonial sector from the residential and industrial areas.