Sacred Valley facts for kids
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Sacred Valley of the Incas
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 Location in Peru
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| Alternative name | Urubamba Valley |
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| Location | Cuzco Region, Peru |
| Coordinates | 13°20′S 72°05′W / 13.333°S 72.083°W |
| Type | valley |
| History | |
| Cultures | Inca |
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The Sacred Valley of the Incas (also called the Urubamba Valley) is a famous valley in the Andes mountains of Peru. It is located north of Cusco, which was the capital city of the Inca Empire. Today, it is part of the Cusco region in Peru. In old Spanish writings, it was sometimes called the "Valley of Yucay." The Inca Empire slowly took control of the Sacred Valley between the years 1000 and 1400 CE.
The Sacred Valley is a very popular place for tourists to visit. In 2013, about 1.2 million people came here. Many of these visitors also explored other ancient sites and modern towns in the valley. The most famous site is Machu Picchu.
This rich valley stretches from Pisac to Ollantaytambo. The Urubamba River provides water for its farms. The first people to use this area were the Chanapata civilization around 800 BCE. They liked the rich soil for farming. Later, the Qotacalla civilization lived here from 500 to 900 CE. After them, the Killke civilization lived in the valley until the Inca Empire took over around 1420. The Incas ruled until the Spanish arrived.
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Exploring the Sacred Valley's Geography
The Sacred Valley generally runs from west to east. It includes everything along the Urubamba River between the town of Písac and Machu Picchu. This distance is about 100 kilometers (62 miles). The valley floor is about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) wide on average.
Along the river, the valley's elevation changes. It is about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) high at Pisac. It drops to 2,050 meters (6,730 feet) below Machu Picchu. Mountains rise high on both sides of the river. To the south, two large mountains overlook the valley. These are Sahuasiray (5,818 meters or 19,088 feet) and Veronica (5,893 meters or 19,334 feet). Side valleys and farm terraces, called andenes, make the farming area even larger.
The Urubamba River formed this valley. It is also known as the Vilcanota River. In the Aymara language, "Willkanuta" means "house of the sun." In Quechua, the language of the Incas, it is called Willkamayu, meaning "sacred river." Many smaller rivers flow into it from nearby valleys. The Sacred Valley was very important for growing maize (corn) in the Inca Empire. It also helped bring products like coca leaves and chile peppers to Cusco.
Climate and Farming in the Valley
The climate in the Urubamba area is typical for the valley. Most of the rain falls between October and April. The total rainfall is about 527 millimeters (20.7 inches) each year. The average monthly temperatures range from 15.4°C (59.7°F) in November, the warmest month, to 12.2°C (54.0°F) in July, the coldest month. The Incas built many irrigation systems throughout the valley. These helped them deal with times when there wasn't enough rain.
History of the Sacred Valley
The early Incas first lived in the Cusco area. Between 1000 and 1400 CE, the Incas slowly gained control over different groups living in the Sacred Valley. They did this through fighting or peaceful agreements.
The Incas loved the Sacred Valley because it was warmer than other nearby areas. This was due to its lower elevation. The warmer climate allowed them to grow maize. Maize was a very important crop for the Incas. They used it to make chicha, a fermented corn drink. The Incas and their people drank large amounts of chicha at their many feasts and religious events.
Growing a lot of maize in the Sacred Valley was made easier by special types of corn. These were developed in a nearby place called Moray. Moray might have been an Inca farm laboratory or a plant nursery.
Royal Estates and Inca Architecture
The Incas usually divided conquered lands into three parts. One part was for the emperor, called the Sapa Inca. Another part was for religious purposes. The third part was for the farming communities. In the 1400s, the Sacred Valley became a place for royal estates and country homes. Once an emperor created an estate, it would stay with his family even after he died.
For example, Emperor Yawar Waqaq (around 1380) had an estate near Paullu and Lamay. Huchuy Qosqo, the estate of Emperor Viracocha Inca (around 1410–1438), overlooks the Sacred Valley. Emperor Pachacuti (1438–1471) had an estate at Pisac. The ruins of Quispiguanca, the estate of Emperor Huayna Capac (1493–1527), are in the town of Urubamba. Many experts believe that Machu Picchu was also built as an estate for Pachacuti.
The most common signs of Inca civilization in the Sacred Valley are the farm terraces. These are called andenes. They were built up the hillsides next to the valley floor.
In 1537, the Inca Emperor Manco Inca Yupanqui fought the Spanish army. He won the Battle of Ollantaytambo against a Spanish army led by Hernando Pizarro. However, Manco soon left the Sacred Valley. The Spanish then took control of the area.
Stories passed down in the Quechua language say that the ancient Incas believed they were connected to Pachamama (Mother Earth). The Incas were famous for their amazing stone buildings. Their architecture helped bring order to wild areas. Machu Picchu, located in the Sacred Valley, shows how the Incas built structures that fit the natural landscape. While some other ancient cultures built artificial mountains, the Incas focused on the natural shapes of the land around them. The Sacred Rock, found in the Sacred Valley, is an example of a stone that highlights the mountain horizon.
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See also
In Spanish: Valle Sagrado de los Incas para niños
