Twelve angle stone, Stone artifact in Hatun Rumiyoc, Peru
The Twelve Angle Stone is a diorite block on Hatun Rumiyoc street with twelve precisely cut edges that fit seamlessly into the surrounding stones of the wall. The green rock was built into the Archbishop's Palace in downtown Cusco.
The stone was built into Hatunrumiyoc Palace during the 15th century reign of Inca Roca and reflects the engineering of that era. The structure later served as the foundation for the Spanish Archbishop's Palace, which was constructed over the ruins of the original palace.
The stone shows the skill of Inca builders who cut massive blocks precisely and fitted them without mortar. Visitors can see this technique applied in the Archbishop's Palace wall today.
The stone is located in downtown Cusco, about 500 meters from Plaza de Armas, and can be viewed at any time without charge. Morning hours offer the best light for photographs and to examine the cut edges carefully.
The stone fits so precisely to its neighbors that not even a sheet of paper can slide between them, yet no mortar was used. This extreme accuracy was achieved using only hand tools and decades of practice.
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