Puca Pucara – The first Inca Fortress

During a normal city tour, you will be able to visit the 4 ruins that are surrounding Cusco. The third of these archeological sites is Puca Pucara. Located right next to Tambomachay.
Its name comes from the quechua words which means ‘’Red Fortress’’. Puca Pucara or Pukapukara got this name due to the red granite it was constructed with.

Puca Pucara is located next to Tambomachay on the road to Pisac, former road to the Antisuyo during the Inca time.

Even though there is not a lot of information about Puca Pucara than numerous other Incan sites, there is a hypothesis that this site was likely built during the rule of Pachacutec. Since he was the ninth leader of the Inca empire, it tends to be said that Puca Pucara was one of the later developments. The stones used to assemble the greater part of the dividers are unpredictably molded, stacked together in what was described as cellular form, being different from the rest of constructions near this area. Along these lines, it appears to be likely the structures and dividers were constructed hastily, showing that perhaps was needed as soon as possible.

There is some discussion over what Puca Pucara’s genuine function was during the Inca era. What can be told is that it had at least partial military function due to its location. Puca Pucara had a privileged view point with a 360 degree angle to watch the Yucay valley and also the entrance to the city. Another hypothesis is that it was a position of rest for trackers and fatigued explorers, just as Incan nobles, because of the entirety of its rich showers, channels, courts, wellsprings, and separate rooms.