The Incas were an extraordinary civilization, the largest pre-Columbian Empire in the Americas (1300-1500 AD). They developed their own education, their government, their laws and their art. Unfortunately, a very important part of their legacy has been lost, but the different monuments that still remain give us much information about them. Know some interesting facts about the Incas!

Incas extended even more than the Roman Empire

They created their own roads that traveled from Chile to Colombia, and they extended these routes more than 5230 kilometers, similar to the distance between New York and San Francisco. This fact is very surprising, as they didn’t use wheels for transport, so all their travels were done by foot or riding llamas.

Like Romans, they also created their own road system. They built rope bridges, roads and rest houses. Unfortunately most of them have disappeared already, although there is a route to Machu Picchu, for example, that is still available nowadays.

THEY DID BRAIN SURGERIES

Some researchesfinds that Incas had developed a very complex level of Medicine, specially surprising as they started to do it 2,000 years ago, in times of Christ. The most incredible findings about these surgeries suggest that they had a success of more than 90%, which is a lot having in count their tools and knowledge.

MACHU PICCHU IS SO HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS THAT IT WASN’T DISCOVERED UNTIL 1911

Located at 2,400 meters above the sea, Machu Picchu is the most representative monument that we have from the Incas, hailed ad one of the eight wonders of the world. However, Machu Picchu is not the only one legacy, nor even the best of them, as there are many others like Chan Chan, Marcahuamachuco, Ollantaytambo, Kuelap or Choquequirao. Most of these ruins weren’t found until the 19th or even the 20th Century.

SOME CITIZENS LIVE LIKE THEIR INCA ANCESTORS

Though Inca Empire disappeared when Spanish conquerors arrived there in the XVth Century, and even with all the diseases that they imported to the Continent, such as typhus, some of them survived and the blood has been transmitted until today. Moreover, some little populations and even some communities in the city keep many of their traditions, rituals, style and languages.

Beyond the archeological rests, Cusco is also worth to be visited by those who love History and are interested in Incas. Cusco was the capital of the Inca empire, and it is still a major city today, the most important in Peru after Lima, and well known as the Rome of America due to its historical attractions.

Anyway, there is nothing like experience itself! Come to Peru or Ecuador and discover more secrets about Incas!