!Closing Machu Picchu may be closer than we think¡
The director of the Ministry of Culture of Cusco, Maritza Rosa Candia, pointed out that the Intihuatana (solar watch) and the Temple of the Condor would have been affected by visitor traffic and that these sectors of Machu Picchu would eventually close.
Intihuatana
Closing Machu Picchu? What sectors would be affected?
The Machu Picchu Management Unit committee determined, in a last meeting, to submit to evaluation the indefinite closure of some sectors of the Inca citadel due to the wear and tear of its stone monuments, said the director of Culture of Cusco, Maritza Rosa Candia.
These are the areas of the ‘Temple of the Condor’, as well as the Intihuatana (solar observatory), places that would have been affected by the traffic of visitors.
According to the Culture official, the closing time of these areas of Machu Picchu will depend on the technical evaluation carried out and the circuit in the Inca citadel (now more than ever, tourists must be careful about the circuit and tour to Machu Picchu you buy). It is still unknown from when this measure would be applied.
Condor shrine
«There is wear and tear on the lithic elements due to the high daily traffic in the sectors that are being affected. Momentarily, the Cóndor and Intihuatana Temples, which have several effects, will no longer be visited by our visitors,» she said.
The wear and tear of these lithic elements is due to the high traffic and concentration of visitors that is recorded in those areas of Machu Picchu, which are considered emblematic and since the damage is irreversible, the heritage must be protected. Closing Machu Picchu is probable option.
The Intihuatana is considered an astronomical observatory used to know the solar movement throughout the year, establish the seasons, determine the solstices and equinoxes, and therefore, the times of sowing and harvesting. In 2000 the structure suffered irreversible damage.
In the case of the ‘Temple of the Condor’, it is a structure with wings carved into a huge mountain rock, while the head and neck of the bird are carved into the floor as an altar. It is possible that this table-like altar was a sacrificial altar.
Everything indicates that closing Machu Picchu will be irreversible in the future.
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