Bed & Breakfast - Sacred Valley of the Incas
Pisac & the Sacred Valley
Pisac is a small town strategically placed at the gateway to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and is just 45 minutes’ drive from Cusco.
The pleasant climate and lower altitude, combined with its proximity and easy access to Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley make it and Casa de Oren an ideal base for your time in the land of the Incas.
The Inca Citadel of Pisac is among Peru’s most intact ancient sites, and a perfect example of ingenious Inca architecture. The archaeological site is situated on top of a mountain high above the market town of Pisac and directly opposite Casa de Oren. By staying with us at Casa de Oren you will have access to the Citadel of Intihuatana a whole 2 hours before the normal tourist traffic arrives.
Pisac sits at the foot of the Imposing Inca Citadel and Terraces of Intihuatana.
View from the hillside above Casa de Oren, Pisac is in the centre left
The views from the top are spectacular and are sure to be one of the highlights of your visit to Casa de Oren, which offers stunning panoramas of the sweeping terraces and the fortifications at the top.
The exact date of construction is unknown, but the site is believed to have been constructed as a defence against the invasion of Cusco between 1440 and 1530. What is certain is that the site served more than one function. With military, religious, and agricultural structures, the site served at least three purposes and was able to support many thousands of Incas.
The Citadel stands at what was a very strategic point for the Incas. It not only guards the Urubamba River below, but also a pass that leads towards the jungle to the northeast. The sheer size and location of the site also suggests that Pisac was an important defense against any potential invasion of Cusco, which was the capital of the entire Inca empire.
The Sacred Valley is a region in Peru's Andean highlands. Along with the nearby city of Cusco and the ancient city of Machu Picchu, it formed the heart of the Inca Empire. Stretching roughly 60 kilometres between the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, it’s an area that’s home to indigenous communities and important archaeological monuments from the Inca Empire.
The Inca Empire rose to power during the 14th century and expanded across ancient Peru and into Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Colombia. However, all trails led back to the Inca capital city of Cusco where the king resided. The surrounding fertile fields of the Sacred Valley served as the civilization’s breadbasket.
The fields of the Sacred Valley served as the Inca civilisations breadbasket.
The Sacred Valley is a place full of important archaeological sites and beautiful natural landscapes. A classic tour of the Sacred Valley takes you to some of the most impressive archaeology in the area, including the Pisac Archaeological Park and the Ollantaytambo Fortress.
The Pisac ruins consist of ceremonial baths, residential quarters, and the largest Inca cemetery. They are stunning in that they are perched atop a mountain that overlooks the village and its sweeping terraces where the Inca grew their crops.
Ollantaytambo Fortress is another magnificent site. It is one of the most sophisticated examples of Inca architecture and town planning, and the site of the Incas greatest defeat against the Spanish.
The Sacred Valley is a place full of important archaeological sites and natural beauty.