Colcampata, Archaeological site in Cusco, Peru.
Colcampata is an archaeological site in Cusco featuring stone walls, terraces, and structures built on elevated ground with commanding views over the city. The remains show a complex arrangement of buildings and platforms that follow the natural slope of the hillside.
The site was established in the 15th century as part of Inca expansion and territorial control in the Cusco region. It served as a key location for managing resources and overseeing the lands below.
The name comes from Quechua words meaning "storage on the height," reflecting its original purpose as a granary for the Inca city below. Local people recognize these ruins as part of their ancestral Inca heritage.
The site is reached on foot from the San Cristobal neighborhood in Cusco, following marked paths that lead uphill to the ruins. Wear sturdy shoes as the terrain is steep and can be uneven in places.
The stone structures display advanced engineering for farming on steep slopes, with precisely cut blocks fitted without mortar. This method allowed the Inca to turn difficult hillside terrain into productive agricultural land.
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