One of the most important constructions that have been necessary for the development of peoples and nations through all time, and in which the human being has been the pillar of these works, undoubtedly, are the roads that mainly allow communication and economic development.
The Empire of the Incas, a civilisation of South America, with its capital Cuzco, which was developed in the 14th and 15th centuries approximately, in a territory of 1,800,000km2, had the priority of building a network of roads known today as the Qhapaq Ñan (Inca Trail in the Quechua language).
This Inca trail was declared by Unesco as a “World Heritage of Humanity” on June 21, 2014, as a result of the efforts and co-ordination of the representatives of all the South American countries through which this Inca trail runs.
During the presence of our organised societies, the constructions had primary importance for the rulers which have been a constant throughout history and to this day.
From the capital of the Inca Empire, Cuzco, the construction of land routes began and expanded for more than 43,000kms and with a length of 5.2 thousand kilometres approximately, uniting the 4 Regions of the Inca Empire: The Tahuantinsuyo, which in the Quechua language derives from the following words: tahua, cuatro, and suyo, regions.
These regions were divided as follows: the Chinchaisuyo in North; the Collasuyo in Southeast; the Contisuyo in Southwest and Antisuyo in East-Amazonia.
After many investigations carried out by historians and chroniclers, it has been determined that the Inca Pachacutec ruler, one of the 14 Incas who ruled the Tahuantinsuyo, was the one who has been recognised as the leader of the most important Roads of the Andean empire, born in 1418 and died in 1471.
It is in the period of his government, between 1438 and 1471, when the construction of roads, water channels, temples, and even the citadel of Machu Picchu was promoted; he extended and consolidated his empire extensions where Quechua is currently spoken, and the official language with Spanish in several South American countries where the Inca roads were extended territorially, such as Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile.
Likewise, these land routes were travelled by the Chasquis “the messengers of the Inca empire”, which in Quechua means “relief person or mail” original Inca athletes who were chosen from an early age, fittest young males – who carried messages and some products for the Inca throughout that immense network of roads, they could travel by relay an approximate 180 to 200 kilometres a day.
We should mention that they had rest houses; called Tambos, which served as relay stations for them to stop, rest, and warehouses for food and water.
During your tour you can see all kinds of landscapes and various attractions, such as hanging bridges made with ropes of ichu or Andean straw, rivers, valleys and unique landscapes that delight the tourist’s eyes today.
Currently, from Cuzco (a city classified as Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 1972, and known as the archaeological capital of America), you can walk to the citadel of Machu Picchu (Modern Wonder of the World), a journey of 39kms and it takes up to four days.
The Qhapaq Ñan is a great work and an exceptional Testimony of a culture of land use and the relationship of man with an environment surrounded by an ecosystem of extraordinary beauty, and that it was built without the use of iron and wheels, due to the ruggedness of the Andean geography.
In our days, this road system is still used in some sections by our native inhabitants of South America. It is a legacy of the Inca Empire that they have left to humanity an example of perseverance in objectives to overcome diverse geography.
These unique roads deserve a visit, and for that reason allows me to invite you to travel to Peru and admire how the heritage that was left from the Inca civilisation, we are twinned, and proof of this is the solid friendship between Peru and Qatar.
