Inca Architecture
The Inca people left behind some of the best and most significant architecutre in South America. The Incas worked with three themes, functionality, precision, and austerity and these themes are always present in their architectural works. The Incas used trapezoids as their dominant style and though these were simple they were almost alwys elegantly proportioned. In many Inca buildings Trapezoidal doorways, windows, and walled niches were dominant no matter the condition of the buildings, from finely wrought to crudely built. The doorways and windows were almost always functional and placed aesthetically as long as functionality was undisturbed. Almost never would the Inca architects let aesthetics take over functionality. The only time this rarity would take place would be when dealing with flowing water. The Incas always used the sound and sight of water as a huge element of their architecture and would enjoy handling this essential element playfully. The Incas would use stone as their primary material for architecture and this proved successful as seen by the buildings and historical monuments in the areas of Cusco, Peru. Perhaps their most famous monument was Macchu Picchu.
The Incas used stone as their primary resource for building, and would always use their local supply. However, their local supply normally streched for kilometers on end and an easy transportation system had to be employed. Their most common transportation system was to shape the stone as they moved it through the valley and up the mountain and then use what they called a "construction ramp" for the rest of the way. One of the most famous architectural works of the Inca empire was the fortress-temple of Ollantaytambo which to this day is unfinished. This temple remains unfinished as a result of a conquistador invasion. There are many rocks left half way through their journey to the construction site and there are some that are left next to their final position area. In Incas used mostly igneous rock and granite, and they most likely used stone and bronze tools to cut these. There are many locations in the Cusco area that have been abandoned half cut due to the lack of strength of their bronze tools. When the conquistadors attacked they employed many Inca stonecutters to help them in architecture and many of the Inca walls in Cusco belong to the time of the conquistador. The Inca people used grit and pestle stone to drill holes such as the ring of unkown function jutting out of Macchu Picchu. However, the Inca glory lies in their ability to cut stones in a variety of different shapes as seen in the "twelve cornered stone." They used the method of scribing and copying where they would make a copy of the outline of a stone on the part of the rectangular stone that was supposed to fit the orginal stone, thus scribing and copying.
The finest Inca stone work was found on their temples and their walls are constructed of finely carved stones that are set up so they get progressively thinner as they go up. This provides a wonderfully stable and aesthetically pleasing wall that will stand up to frequent earthquakes. The inside faces of these wall were normally plumb thus the thicker base and thinner top as seen in the Corincancha or Inca "holy of holies," in Cusco. Many buildings built for rulers featured wall with several notches, bends, and sides to them such the "cyclopean" walls that look like jigsaw puzzles. As with their walls, the Incas took care when building their doorways. Their "double jamb doorways," were considered the finest doorways and these had a reccesed lip on the inside of the outer trapizoid. This lip normally indicated a doorway to a high status site. These lips aided the placement wooden doors in the doorways, however after the fall of the Inca empire these doorways didn't survive and new closure devices were used to hold real door in place. Their windows held just as mich importance as their doorways and were normally built with with ashlars and framed with specially cut stones to show a trapezoidal shape as seen in the "Three-Windowed Temple" of Macchu Picchu. Their roofing was very complex when it came to building wayronas and masmas, or building with one bear side. To hold up roofs on a wayrona or masma a long, stout beam the length of the building was employed. Normally, however their gabled roofs were narrower on the top for support. The Incas also build stairs, liturgical baths, and argricultural architecture though they werent of lasting importance.
The Inca people made a name for themselves through their architectural legacy and works. Most of the Peruvian tourism is fueld through Incaic works of architecture such as the all famous Macchu Picchu. Additionally, a lot of what they built is still in use for various different things and a lot fo their carefully crafted doorways, windows, and walls are still standing and are supporting most of the buildings near Cusco and Lake Titicaca. Also near Lake Titicaca some of the Inca camellones, or agricultural terraces are still standing and in full working order along with the complex irrigation canals. All of the currentlly surviving Inca buildings have surivived the frequent Earthquakes that hit that area. Unforutantely, the Incaic wooden doorways didn't survive the span of 5 centuries after the fall of the Inca empire. 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.
The Incas used stone as their primary resource for building, and would always use their local supply. However, their local supply normally streched for kilometers on end and an easy transportation system had to be employed. Their most common transportation system was to shape the stone as they moved it through the valley and up the mountain and then use what they called a "construction ramp" for the rest of the way. One of the most famous architectural works of the Inca empire was the fortress-temple of Ollantaytambo which to this day is unfinished. This temple remains unfinished as a result of a conquistador invasion. There are many rocks left half way through their journey to the construction site and there are some that are left next to their final position area. In Incas used mostly igneous rock and granite, and they most likely used stone and bronze tools to cut these. There are many locations in the Cusco area that have been abandoned half cut due to the lack of strength of their bronze tools. When the conquistadors attacked they employed many Inca stonecutters to help them in architecture and many of the Inca walls in Cusco belong to the time of the conquistador. The Inca people used grit and pestle stone to drill holes such as the ring of unkown function jutting out of Macchu Picchu. However, the Inca glory lies in their ability to cut stones in a variety of different shapes as seen in the "twelve cornered stone." They used the method of scribing and copying where they would make a copy of the outline of a stone on the part of the rectangular stone that was supposed to fit the orginal stone, thus scribing and copying.
The finest Inca stone work was found on their temples and their walls are constructed of finely carved stones that are set up so they get progressively thinner as they go up. This provides a wonderfully stable and aesthetically pleasing wall that will stand up to frequent earthquakes. The inside faces of these wall were normally plumb thus the thicker base and thinner top as seen in the Corincancha or Inca "holy of holies," in Cusco. Many buildings built for rulers featured wall with several notches, bends, and sides to them such the "cyclopean" walls that look like jigsaw puzzles. As with their walls, the Incas took care when building their doorways. Their "double jamb doorways," were considered the finest doorways and these had a reccesed lip on the inside of the outer trapizoid. This lip normally indicated a doorway to a high status site. These lips aided the placement wooden doors in the doorways, however after the fall of the Inca empire these doorways didn't survive and new closure devices were used to hold real door in place. Their windows held just as mich importance as their doorways and were normally built with with ashlars and framed with specially cut stones to show a trapezoidal shape as seen in the "Three-Windowed Temple" of Macchu Picchu. Their roofing was very complex when it came to building wayronas and masmas, or building with one bear side. To hold up roofs on a wayrona or masma a long, stout beam the length of the building was employed. Normally, however their gabled roofs were narrower on the top for support. The Incas also build stairs, liturgical baths, and argricultural architecture though they werent of lasting importance.
The Inca people made a name for themselves through their architectural legacy and works. Most of the Peruvian tourism is fueld through Incaic works of architecture such as the all famous Macchu Picchu. Additionally, a lot of what they built is still in use for various different things and a lot fo their carefully crafted doorways, windows, and walls are still standing and are supporting most of the buildings near Cusco and Lake Titicaca. Also near Lake Titicaca some of the Inca camellones, or agricultural terraces are still standing and in full working order along with the complex irrigation canals. All of the currentlly surviving Inca buildings have surivived the frequent Earthquakes that hit that area. Unforutantely, the Incaic wooden doorways didn't survive the span of 5 centuries after the fall of the Inca empire. 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.