Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sleeping
D2
C1
C3
B3
B3
B2
A2
Eating
10
Hearts Café
B2
11
Mayu Pata
B2
12
Puka Rumi
A2
13
Tutti Amore
B3
Drinking
14
Ganso
D2
Transport
15
Buses to Urubamba & Cuzco
C3
The rebellious Manco Inca had retreated to this fortress after his defeat at Sacsay-
wamán. In 1536, Hernando Pizarro, Francisco's younger half-brother, led a force of 70
cavalrymen to Ollantaytambo, supported by large numbers of indigenous and Spanish foot
soldiers, in an attempt to capture Manco Inca.
The conquistadors, showered with arrows, spears and boulders from atop the steep ter-
racing, were unable to climb to the fortress. In a brilliant move, Manco Inca flooded the
plain below the fortress through previously prepared channels. With Spaniards' horses
bogged down in the water, Pizarro ordered a hasty retreat, chased down by thousands of
Manco Inca's victorious soldiers.
Yet the Inca victory would be short lived. Spanish forces soon returned with a quad-
rupled cavalry force and Manco fled to his jungle stronghold in Vilcabamba.
Though Ollantaytambo was a highly effective fortress, it also served as a temple. A
finely worked
ceremonial center
is at the top of the terracing. Some extremely well-built
walls were under construction at the time of the conquest and have never been completed.