Tiwanaku is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bolivia, dating back to 1200 BC. It was an early form of permaculture and a key site leading up to the Inca Empire. Tiwanaku’s architecture and art style are unique, and it sits in a beautiful section of the Andes. The site is often referred to as the “Stonehenge of the Americas” and has alternative creation theories. Notable sites include Porta del Sole, Puma Punku ruins, Akapana Pyramid, and Kalasasaya Temple.
Tiwanaku is a pre-Inca city in Bolivia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has been since 2000. It is regarded by most archaeologists as one of the key sites leading up to the Inca Empire, and remains a beautiful site for modern visitors.
The site dates back to 1200 BC, when it first settled as a small village. Remains of agriculture in the area show that the inhabitants used a form of farming known as raised farming, which is highly efficient. They represent an early form of permaculture, and in recent years, experimental programs have begun to recreate the agriculture evident in Tiwanaku.
By the 7th century it had begun to develop into a true urban environment, moving from an exclusively agricultural culture to a more diverse one. In the 9th century the city itself covered nearly two square miles (7 square km) and probably had a population of about 9. Some evidence suggests that the area may in fact have supported hundreds of thousands of people.
In the 11th century, Tiwanaku began to decline and the culture also began to fall apart. It was not abandoned, but it lost its place as a major power in the area, although it laid much of the foundation for the later Inca Empire.
Although many of the sites have been looted over the centuries they are still a very impressive group and some have been restored by the authorities. The architecture of Tiwanaku is very impressive, especially considering that the huge stones used to build the structures were transported from around 25 miles (40km) away, and were moved without the benefit of the wheel.
Tiwanaku’s art style is also unique, with fascinating figurative pieces featuring exaggerated heads. The style is related to the Huari style, which is also found in the Andean region, and it is possible that it arose from the earlier Pukara style.
Tiwanaku sits more than 13,000 feet (4000m) above sea level, in an absolutely gorgeous section of the Andes. It’s surrounded by mountain ranges, which offer great views and wonderful hikes, and it’s not far from Lake Titicaca, although the lake can’t be seen from the city site.
This site is often referred to as the “Stonehenge of the Americas” because the stones present at the site are not visible in the area itself. Local legend holds that the site was created by giants, who later angered the gods and were then swept away in a flood, but the large stones have encouraged some alternative creation theories in recent years. Some people believe the site is over 17,000 years old and believe it to be the work of an extremely advanced civilization.
There are a number of beautiful sites in Tiwanaku that are worth visiting. One of the most famous is the Porta del Sole, a huge gate built with a single piece of rock. Another is the site of the Puma Punku ruins, which some people believe was a huge port, built at a time when Lake Titicaca came to the edge of Tiwanaku. And perhaps the most impressive are Akapana Pyramid and Kalasasaya Temple.
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