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| Valle Sagrado | |
|---|---|
| Name | Valle Sagrado |
| Other name | Sacred Valley |
| Settlement type | Valley |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | Peru |
| Subdivision type1 | Region |
| Subdivision name1 | Cusco Region |
| Elevation m | 2850 |
Valle Sagrado The Valle Sagrado is a highland valley in the Cusco Region of Peru renowned for its concentration of Inca archaeological sites, traditional Quechua communities, and extensive terracing along the Urubamba River. Located near the city of Cusco, the valley served as a strategic corridor between the Andes and the eastern lowlands and remains a focal point for cultural heritage, agricultural innovation, and tourism linked to the Machu Picchu circuit.
The valley lies along the Urubamba River in the eastern slopes of the Andes between Cusco and the town of Ollantaytambo, straddling districts in the Calca Province, Urubamba Province, and Pisac District. Elevations range from highland plateaus near Cusco to lower river terrace floors approaching Machu Picchu access routes, with climatic influences from the Amazon Basin and puna ecosystems observed near Sacsayhuamán, Chinchero, and the Antisuyu corridor. Major transport corridors include roads linking Cusco, Urubamba, and Ollantaytambo, and rail connections used for excursions to Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes.
Pre-Columbian occupation involved successive cultures such as the Wari and the Killke culture before the expansion of the Inca under rulers like Pachacuti and Topa Inca Yupanqui. The valley functioned as an agricultural granary and ceremonial landscape linked to the imperial center of Cusco and administrative sites including Ollantaytambo and Pisac. Colonial-era chroniclers such as Pedro Cieza de León and Garcilaso de la Vega documented the valley's importance, while modern archaeologists like John Rowe, Hiram Bingham III, and Max Uhle contributed to archaeological interpretation. The valley's role in regional resistance appears in histories involving figures like Túpac Amaru II and interactions with colonial authorities under the Viceroyalty of Peru.
Prominent sites include Pisac with its terraced citadel, the fortress and urban complex at Ollantaytambo, the ritual center at Chinchero, and the agricultural installations near Moray. Other notable locations include Sacsayhuamán on the Cusco periphery, the temple complexes documented by Hiram Bingham III en route to Machu Picchu, and lesser-known ruins excavated by teams from institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, University of Cambridge, and Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. Excavations reveal architecture comparable to Machu Picchu sectors, with construction techniques related to those seen at Ollantaytambo and ceremonial axes aligned with Andean cosmologies recorded by José María Arguedas and researchers such as González Holguín.
The valley exhibits extensive Inca and pre-Inca agricultural terraces, including the concentric agricultural depressions at Moray and the highland terraces of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. These systems were studied by agronomists influenced by research from National Agrarian University La Molina and international programs from FAO affiliates focusing on Andean crops like maize varieties cultivated historically alongside potato landraces documented by researchers at the International Potato Center. Traditional irrigation technologies trace to hydraulic works associated with communities linked to Qoricancha sacred precincts and labor systems comparable to mit'a descriptions in chronicles by Bernabe Cobo.
After the Spanish conquest, colonial settlements, haciendas, and administrative reorganization affected land tenure and labor patterns, with parish registers maintained by religious orders such as the Dominican Order and Jesuits appearing in colonial archives like those of Archivo General de Indias. Republican-era developments involved infrastructure projects under governments of figures like Simón Bolívar-era administrators and later Peruvian presidents who promoted road construction to Cusco and tourism initiatives beginning in the 20th century. Modern conservation efforts involve collaborations with organizations including the World Monuments Fund, UNESCO, and Peruvian agencies such as the Ministry of Culture.
Tourism centered on archaeological circuits, guided treks to Machu Picchu, and cultural experiences in markets like Pisac drives the local economy, engaging tour operators based in Cusco, international carriers such as LATAM Airlines, and heritage NGOs. Local crafts draw on artisanal traditions studied in ethnographies by Maria Rostworowski and marketed through cooperatives linked to institutions like the National Institute of Culture (Peru). Economic challenges intersect with infrastructure programs funded by multilateral lenders like the Inter-American Development Bank and conservation tourism models promoted by entities including Conservation International.
The valley encompasses Andean puna and montane ecosystems supporting species recorded in surveys by the Natural History Museum, London and Peruvian biodiversity studies, including highland flora like native Polylepis woodlands and fauna such as the Andean condor, vicuña, and diverse passerines documented by ornithologists affiliated with the American Ornithological Society. Environmental concerns include erosion of terraces, pressures from intensified agriculture and tourism, water management disputes involving downstream communities and studies by IWMI, and climate change impacts assessed by researchers at IPCC-cited programs and regional university teams from Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco.
Category:Geography of Cusco Region Category:Archaeological sites in Peru