Ollantaytambo Ruins

Today we went to the Pumamarca, The Temple of the Sun in Ollantaytambo. We learned about the incredible history of the Incan empire. Although it was difficult with the altitude the view was well worth the hike. One of the many sights we saw were of Pre-Incan ruins. They were preserved because of the Incan architectural philosophy of building with the surrounding environment.  Similarly, when conquering other groups, they respected their religious and cultural practices, as long as they worshipped the sun god above all others.  During construction, the king utilized the best artisans from those groups and the strongest workers to help build this beautiful temple.  We were in awe to see these gigantic stones, and amazed at the distance they were carried and the precision with which they were cut.  We also saw beautiful baths that were used for purification and a stone that is said to have incredible healing properties.  There was so much history to know and so many lessons to learn from these ancestors. It was a gorgeous day and the sun came out when in the Sun temple. We stripped off layers and felt warm in days!