Vitcos
Encyclopedia
Vitcos is an archaeological site in the Cusco Region
in Peru
, believed to have been built by ruler in exile Manco Inca during the Spanish
conquest of Peru.
then Ollantaytambo
, Manco Inca settled in a region known as the Vilcabamba
, a heavily forested region that also contains the Inca sites of Machu Picchu
and Choquequirao
. It is theorized that the city of Vilcabamba, having more of a tropical jungle climate, as opposed to the cooler climate of the Andes
, was considered inhospitable by the Inca and so the construction of Vitcos was ordered so that Manco and his court could have a refuge that was closer in climate to what they were accustomed to.
Another theory holds that Pachacuti, who is recognized to have built Machu Picchu, also built Vitcos as a summer palace. Upon his death it became part of his estate only to be re-used by Manco during his years in exile for the climate related reasons stated above. There is evidence to support either theory, though most Incatologists prefer the later on the grounds that Vitcos is of very fine construction that would have been unlikely while under the duress of the conquest.
Whichever theory may be true, it is known that Vitcos is the site where Manco was murdered by a renegade group of conquistadors attempting to win back favor with the Spanish crown. Unfortunately their plan was flawed in that attacking the ruling Inca at his own palace left them little hope of escape. As could have been predicted, Manco's royal guard set upon them and made short work of them.
The palace itself consists of two groups of buildings. The upper group is made up of eight large rooms, arranged in four pairs of two rooms back to back, all joined by a common outer wall. The common wall has doors that lead to passages between the pairs. Each room has three doors to the exterior of the common wall, but no doors to either the room behind it of the passageways between the four pairs. Each pair of rooms had a common roof.
To the north of the upper group is a terrace wall, below which is the lower group of buildings. This group is made up of a dozen or more buildings arranged around an open courtyard. The exact number of buildings in this group is unclear, as it is in considerably worse condition than the upper group.
was searching for Vilcabamba. Following descriptions left by various conquistadors, he came upon a site called "Rosaspata" by local villagers. Through the same descriptions that had led him there, he was able to determine that he was in fact at the palace of Vitcos and Oracle of Chuquipalta. After cursory mapping of both sites he continued on in search of the last city of the Inca. Knowing roughly where in relation to Vitcos he might find Vilcabamba, he continued on what he believed was, and actually was, the road to his goal. However, at this point it can be said that this expedition was ill-fated in that while he did in fact find Vilcabamba he believed it to be far less extensive than it actually was, and after describing one small sector and naming it "Eromboni Pampa" he abandoned efforts and continued his search based on rumors of another site that was far more extensive and spectacular. This rumored site was Machu Picchu
, and while it lay entirely in the wrong direction from Vitcos, he announced it as being Vilcabamba. His later expeditions all returned to Machu Picchu, and left Vicabamba and Vitcos neglected and forgotten.
In the 1980s Vincent Lee's work in the Vilcabamba led to his finding and description of more than thirty buildings and engineered structures on the eastern flank of the hill between Vitcos and Chuquipalta. Amongst these are kalankas (meeting houses), several colca (storehouses), and a large usnu (obsevation platform), as well as terraces and built-up trails.
Cusco Region
Cusco is a region in Peru. It is bordered by the Ucayali Region on the north; the Madre de Dios and Puno regions on the east; the Arequipa Region on the south; and the Apurímac, Ayacucho and Junín regions on the west...
in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, believed to have been built by ruler in exile Manco Inca during the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
conquest of Peru.
History
After fleeing first CuscoCusco
Cusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
then Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is a town and an Inca archaeological site in southern Peru some 60 kilometers northwest of the city of Cusco. It is located at an altitude of 2,792 meters above sea level in the district of Ollantaytambo, province of Urubamba, Cusco region...
, Manco Inca settled in a region known as the Vilcabamba
Vilcabamba, Peru
Vilcabamba was a city founded by Manco Inca in 1539 and was the last refuge of the Inca Empire until it fell to the Spaniards in 1572, signaling the end of Inca resistance to Spanish rule.- History :...
, a heavily forested region that also contains the Inca sites of Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for...
and Choquequirao
Choquequirao
Choquequirao is a ruined Inca city in south Peru, similar in structure and architecture to Machu Picchu. The ruins are buildings and terraces at levels above and below Sunch'u Pata, the truncated hill top...
. It is theorized that the city of Vilcabamba, having more of a tropical jungle climate, as opposed to the cooler climate of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
, was considered inhospitable by the Inca and so the construction of Vitcos was ordered so that Manco and his court could have a refuge that was closer in climate to what they were accustomed to.
Another theory holds that Pachacuti, who is recognized to have built Machu Picchu, also built Vitcos as a summer palace. Upon his death it became part of his estate only to be re-used by Manco during his years in exile for the climate related reasons stated above. There is evidence to support either theory, though most Incatologists prefer the later on the grounds that Vitcos is of very fine construction that would have been unlikely while under the duress of the conquest.
Whichever theory may be true, it is known that Vitcos is the site where Manco was murdered by a renegade group of conquistadors attempting to win back favor with the Spanish crown. Unfortunately their plan was flawed in that attacking the ruling Inca at his own palace left them little hope of escape. As could have been predicted, Manco's royal guard set upon them and made short work of them.
Layout
Vitcos stands on the northern side of the hill between the modern villages of Huancacalle and Pucyara, and is the principal portion of a complex that covers the entire hill and portions of the valleys to the south and east. South of the hill is Chuquipalta, a giant carved stone said to have been an Inca Oracle, and a series of terraces that stretch along the eastern side of the hill within the valley, which are believed to have been decorative or ceremonial gardens.The palace itself consists of two groups of buildings. The upper group is made up of eight large rooms, arranged in four pairs of two rooms back to back, all joined by a common outer wall. The common wall has doors that lead to passages between the pairs. Each room has three doors to the exterior of the common wall, but no doors to either the room behind it of the passageways between the four pairs. Each pair of rooms had a common roof.
To the north of the upper group is a terrace wall, below which is the lower group of buildings. This group is made up of a dozen or more buildings arranged around an open courtyard. The exact number of buildings in this group is unclear, as it is in considerably worse condition than the upper group.
Rediscovery
In his 1911 expedition Hiram Bingham IIIHiram Bingham III
Hiram Bingham, formally Hiram Bingham III, was an academic, explorer, treasure hunter and politician from the United States. He made public the existence of the Quechua citadel of Machu Picchu in 1911 with the guidance of local indigenous farmers...
was searching for Vilcabamba. Following descriptions left by various conquistadors, he came upon a site called "Rosaspata" by local villagers. Through the same descriptions that had led him there, he was able to determine that he was in fact at the palace of Vitcos and Oracle of Chuquipalta. After cursory mapping of both sites he continued on in search of the last city of the Inca. Knowing roughly where in relation to Vitcos he might find Vilcabamba, he continued on what he believed was, and actually was, the road to his goal. However, at this point it can be said that this expedition was ill-fated in that while he did in fact find Vilcabamba he believed it to be far less extensive than it actually was, and after describing one small sector and naming it "Eromboni Pampa" he abandoned efforts and continued his search based on rumors of another site that was far more extensive and spectacular. This rumored site was Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for...
, and while it lay entirely in the wrong direction from Vitcos, he announced it as being Vilcabamba. His later expeditions all returned to Machu Picchu, and left Vicabamba and Vitcos neglected and forgotten.
In the 1980s Vincent Lee's work in the Vilcabamba led to his finding and description of more than thirty buildings and engineered structures on the eastern flank of the hill between Vitcos and Chuquipalta. Amongst these are kalankas (meeting houses), several colca (storehouses), and a large usnu (obsevation platform), as well as terraces and built-up trails.