What to See in Machu Picchu: What to See in Each Sector

Home > Blogs > What to See in Machu Picchu: What to See in Each Sector

MAIN SECTORS OF MACHU PICCHU

Machu Picchu is divided into two main areas connected by stairways and paths:

AGRICULTURAL AREA (Terrace Sector)

What you’ll see here: This is the first area you find when you enter. They are huge stepped terraces built on the mountain slopes. Each terrace has retaining walls up to 4 meters high, filled with layers of stone, gravel and fertile soil.

Why it’s important: The Incas grew corn, potatoes and quinoa here. The smart design allowed perfect drainage of rainwater, preventing landslides. These terraces also protected the city from invasions.

The classic photo: From the Guard House (at the upper part of the agricultural sector) you get the perfect postcard photo of Machu Picchu with the mountains in the background. This viewpoint is included in Circuits 1 and 2.

URBAN AREA (The City)

The urban area is divided into two sectors: Hanan (upper) and Hurin (lower).

HANAN SECTOR (Sacred Sector – Upper Part)

1. SACRED PLAZA

What it is: A large rectangular ceremonial space surrounded by the most important temples of Machu Picchu. It was the religious and political heart of the citadel.

What you’ll see:

Packed dirt floor
Surrounded by ceremonial buildings made of finely carved stone
Direct view of the sacred mountains

2. MAIN TEMPLE

Description: A three-walled building constructed with rectangular granite blocks perfectly fitted together. The main wall measures approximately 11 meters in length.

Special features:

It has three large trapezoidal niches in its main wall
One of the side walls is leaning due to a settling of the ground
It was the main ceremonial center for religious rituals

Unique details: The precision of the stone carving is amazing: the joints between blocks are so perfect that a sheet of paper would not fit between them.

3. TEMPLE OF THE THREE WINDOWS

What makes it special: Located in the Sacred Plaza, it has a wall with three large trapezoidal windows facing east, toward the sunrise.

Construction: The polygonal blocks of the windows are assembled like a three-dimensional puzzle. Some blocks have more than 12 perfectly carved corners.

Meaning: The three windows may represent the three levels of the world according to the Inca worldview:

Hanan Pacha (the celestial world)
Kay Pacha (the earthly world)
Ukhu Pacha (the underworld)

They could also symbolize the three mythical caves from which the founders of the Inca Empire emerged.

4. INTIHUATANA (“Where the Sun is Tied”)

What it is: The most iconic and mysterious structure in Machu Picchu. It is a carved rock placed on top of an artificial hill shaped like a pyramid.

What it’s like:

Base: 8.60 meters in perimeter
Total height: 1.76 meters
On top: a 66 cm high carved stone pillar with four faces oriented to the cardinal points

Function: It worked as a sundial and astronomical calendar:

The shadows cast by the pillar indicate the seasons of the year
During the equinoxes (March 21 and September 21), at noon the sun is directly above it and casts almost no shadow
It marked the exact times for planting and harvesting

Access: You reach it by stairways carved into the rock. The path climbs up along the north and south sides of the pyramid.

Current status 2025: Since June 2024, you are NOT allowed to approach it directly. You can only observe it from the path a few meters away. This protects the structure from wear caused by millions of visitors.

Popular belief: Many visitors believe that by bringing their hands close (without touching it) they can feel the energy radiating from this sacred stone.

5. TEMPLE OF THE SUN (The Torreón)

Unique architecture: It is the only semicircular building in Machu Picchu. It measures 10.5 meters in diameter and is built on top of a huge natural rock.

Features:

Curved walls of perfectly polished stone
Two trapezoidal windows strategically oriented
One window points exactly to where the sun rises during the winter solstice (June 21)
Traces of gold or silver ornaments that were ripped out during the conquest

The cave below (Royal Tomb): Under the Temple of the Sun there is a natural cave lined with fine masonry. It has large niches where mummies of Inca nobles probably rested. That is why it is also called the Royal Mausoleum.

Exclusive access: Only royalty and priests were allowed here. It has carved steps that lead to a small private sector with a panoramic view.

6. ROYAL RESIDENCE (Inca’s Palace)

Location: A group of rooms next to the Temple of the Sun, with privileged views of the valley.

Features:

Rooms with finely carved stone walls
Trapezoidal windows that frame the landscape
Private system of water fountains
Exclusive private terrace
Personal drainage channel

Who lived here: It is believed this was the residence of Emperor Pachacútec when he visited Machu Picchu. The quality of the construction indicates that only the highest nobility lived in these quarters.

7. CEREMONIAL FOUNTAINS (Pacchas)

What they are: A system of 16 cascading water fountains connected by stone-cut channels descending through the urban sector.

How they work: Water flows from a spring on the mountain, runs 749 meters through channels until it reaches the first fountain, and then falls in cascade from fountain to fountain.

Impressive engineering:

The water still runs perfectly after 500 years
Each fountain has a different design
The first fountain (the highest one) was reserved for the Inca
The rest were for nobles according to their rank

Ceremonial use: Water had a religious meaning. Purification rituals were performed at these fountains following a strict hierarchy.

HURIN SECTOR (Lower Part – Residential and Common Area)

8. SACRED ROCK

What it is: A granite block 3 meters high and 7 meters wide, placed on a rectangular base. Its shape imitates the profile of the mountain behind it (Yanantin Hill).

Location: In a wide plaza where the paths to Huayna Picchu and the Temple of the Moon meet.

Meaning: It was a place of worship. The Incas believed the mountains were deities (Apus), and this rock connected the earthly world with the spiritual one.

Experience: Many tourists hug this rock or place their hands on it to connect with the energy of the place. Although this is not scientifically proven, it is a popular visitor tradition.

9. WATER MIRRORS COMPLEX

Description: A large enclosure with a single entrance door that contains two ceremonial basins or pools that functioned as mirrors.

Function: It is believed this was the Acllahuasi (House of the Chosen Women of the Sun), where selected women were dedicated to weaving fine textiles, preparing chicha (ceremonial drink) and cooking for the priestly class.

Features:

The basins reflected the sky and the stars
Possibly used for nighttime astronomical observation
Architecture designed for privacy

10. TEMPLE OF THE CONDOR

Why it’s called that: It is formed by a natural rock on the floor that looks like the head and neck of a condor with open wings. Two vertical rocks behind it form the bird’s wings.

The condor in Inca culture: The condor represented the celestial world (Hanan Pacha) in the Inca worldview. It was the messenger between humans and the gods.

Behind the Temple: There are small caves and niches that some archaeologists believe were cells for prisoners. That is why it is also known as “The Prisons.”

Access: Only visible on Circuit 2 (classic route) and Circuit 3. It is one of the most photogenic sectors of Machu Picchu.

Residential and Common Area in Machu Picchu

COMPLEMENTARY STRUCTURES

11. QOLQAS SECTOR (Storehouses)

What they are: Rows of small rectangular buildings with windows for ventilation.

Function: Storehouses for dried foods (corn, quinoa, charqui, dehydrated potatoes). The design allowed air circulation to preserve food for months.

Location: Eastern sector of the urban area, strategically positioned for efficient distribution.

12. THE MORTARS

What you’ll see: Perfect circles carved into natural floor rock, like large stone bowls.

Use: They were used to grind grains, prepare natural dyes and possibly mix ceremonial ingredients. Some have carved drainage channels.

13. MAIN GATE (Intipunku inside the city)

Do not confuse with: The Sun Gate (Intipunku) on the Inca Trail is different. This is the main entrance to the urban area from the agricultural sector.

Features: