Wiñay Wayna (2650 m) (

Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language **So ...

for "forever young", Hispanicized spelling ''Huiñay Huayna'') is an

Inca The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, (Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The admin ...

ruin along the

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (also known as ''Camino Inca'' or ''Camino Inka'') is a hiking trail in Peru that terminates at Machu Picchu. It consists of three overlapping trails: ''Mollepata'', ''Classic'', and ''One Day''. ''Mollepata'' is ...

. It is built into a steep hillside overlooking the

Urubamba River The Urubamba River or Vilcamayo River (possibly from Quechua ''Willkamayu'', for "sacred river") is a river in Peru. Upstream it is called Vilcanota River (possibly from Aymara ''Willkanuta'', for "house of the sun"). Within the La Convención Pr ...

. The site consists of upper and lower house complexes connected by a staircase and fountain structures. Above and below the houses the people built areas of

agricultural terraces In agriculture, a terrace is a piece of sloped plane that has been cut into a series of successively receding flat surfaces or platforms, which resemble steps, for the purposes of more effective farming. This type of landscaping is therefore ...

or andenes, which are still visible. A camp site for hikers with the same name is located in the vicinity and is usually used as the last overnight camping site for hikers undertaking the classical Inca Trail.

Gallery

Image:Winaywayna orchid.JPG, Epidendrum secundum, commonly called "Wiñay Wayna", in front of the ruins File:Wayllabamba Puesto de Vigilancia sign.jpg, Location of Wiñay Wayna as shown on a sign near

Willkaraqay Huillca Raccay or Huillca Racay (possibly from Quechua ''willka'' grandchild / great-grandson / lineage / minor god in the Inca culture, an image of the Vilcanota valley worshipped as God / holy, sacred, divine, ''willka'' or ''wilka'' ''Anadenan ...

References

Archaeological sites in Peru Inca Archaeological sites in Cusco Region {{SouthAm-archaeology-stub

Gallery

See also

References