Inca Architecture: Characteristics and Building Types

Inca Architecture

The Inca architecture is the architectural style that was in effect during the Inca Empire, especially from the reign of Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui until the Spanish conquest (1438-1533).

The architecture developed in the Inca state was characterized by its simplicity of form, solidity, symmetry, and how its buildings harmonized with the landscape. Unlike coastal societies such as the Chimu, the Incas used a fairly sober decoration. The main material used was stone. In simpler constructions, it was placed uncut, but not in the most complex and important ones. Inca builders developed techniques to build huge walls, a mosaic of carved stone blocks that fit perfectly, without even a needle being able to pass through. Often these blocks were so large that it is difficult to imagine their placement. The best examples of this ability are in the area of Cusco. It is known that the best stone carvers were Collas, from the Altiplano, and many of them were taken to Cusco to serve the state.

Inca constructions lacked complicated ornaments or decorations. Carving, sculpture, high or low reliefs were not used excessively as decorative elements. This austerity is reflected in the arrangement of the rooms inside the temples, or even within the same room of the Inca ruler.

Despite this simplicity, Hispanic chronicles speak of a special decoration in the Coricancha where reliefs and sculptures highlighted in gold. Apparently, this temple would be the only one that wore this type of decoration.

They used solid stone in large blocks without much need for mortar. The stones were gigantic and were used in a way that fit with each other. An example of this architecture is found in Sacsayhuaman, which was a temple and not a fortress, with a very large number of these blocks of stone.

The stones, which were great, helped the buildings to be too large, so you can find several sites in the city of Cusco with fairly large stone monuments. It was an adaptation to the topography and landforms of the area. The Incas wanted to show they could do whatever they wanted with the stone, so they made one of their greatest works: the stone of 12 angles.

Kancha

The Kancha was the most common unit of architectural composition. It consisted of a rectangular enclosure that housed three or more rectangular structures arranged symmetrically around a central courtyard.¹ The kanchas usually housed different functions and formed the basic unit of both houses as well as temples and palaces. Also, several kanchas could be grouped to form blocks of Inca settlements.² A testimony to the importance of these units in Inca architecture is the city of Cusco, whose central part consisted of large kanchas, including the temple of the sun (Qorikancha) and the palaces of the Inca.³ The best-preserved examples of kancha are found in Ollantaytambo, an Inca settlement located outside the Urubamba River.⁴

Kallanka

These were large rectangular enclosures, up to 70 meters long, associated with important state facilities. These structures, referred to as "sheds" in the chronicles, usually have several doors, niches, and windows, and would have been covered with a gable roof. They appear in the vicinity of large squares, suggesting they were related to ceremonial activities, as well as hosting numerous people, mostly administrators or officials in the field.

Tambos

These were inns built along the main roads of Tahuantinsuyo, called "mesons" or "sales" by the chroniclers. They were simple buildings of one or several rooms, which were occupied by travelers as places of rest. They contained space for the storage of supplies necessary for the support of the walkers.

Acllahuasi

Identified by Garcilaso as the "House of the Chosen," it corresponds to the residential buildings of the acllas. These were groups of women specializing in productive activities, particularly in textiles and the preparation of chicha, and were forced to provide labor services to the State. These buildings, which the writers wrongly compared with Christian monasteries, were distributed in all provincial centers of Tahuantinsuyo.