Giant rocks
Like faces and animals.
Yuri Efrén Huacoto Campos — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ozesama — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jonathan Marco Corredor Obispo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nina Zaitceva — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jonathan Marco Corredor Obispo — CC BY-SA 4.0
Marcahuasi is a plateau in the Andes east of Lima, on the range above the right bank of the Rímac River in Huarochirí Province. It sits at almost 4,000 metres above sea level, about 57 km in a straight line from Lima's Plaza Mayor. The plateau is known for huge granite rocks in curious shapes, in which visitors see human faces and animals. Julio Tello first studied it in 1922, followed by Daniel Ruzo in the 1950s. It covers about 4 square kilometres and has volcanic origins, and archaeologists say the shapes are the work of erosion over centuries. On its north side stand the ruins of more than 50 small old buildings. Giant grey rocks scatter across golden grassland, some resembling an enormous face, with small lagoons between them mirroring the rocks and sky. At sunset the horizon glows orange behind the rocky silhouettes. The route starts in the village of San Pedro de Casta with a long climb, and some visitors camp on the plateau. The altitude is high and the nights are very cold, so acclimatise first and bring warm layers.
Like faces and animals.
Mirroring the rocks.
Rocky silhouettes.
Near San Pedro de Casta, Huarochirí Province, Lima Region, Peru
No, archaeologists say erosion made them.
From the village of San Pedro de Casta.