Vitcos-Rosaspata
Vitcos Inca Refuge
Late Horizon Inca Resistance 1536–1572·Inca (Neo-Inca State)·🇵🇪 Cusco, La Convención, Vilcabamba District, Peru
About
About Vitcos-Rosaspata
Final residence of Manco Inca after 1536 siege of Cuzco (1536–1572): hill palace Rosaspata with white granite usnu, Yurak Rumi white rock shrine 2.5 m high carved to receive libations, Ñusta Hispana fertility rock 8 m, Intiwatana intihuatana, refuge capital before Spanish execution of Túpac Amaru 1572. John Hemming described as 'Inca Pompeii of the Vilcabamba', Edmundo Guillén located, Hiram Bingham misidentified as Vilcabamba. Inca resistance capital.
Why it mattersDefinitive Neo-Inca capital; documents 36-year Inca resistance state and ritual refuge use of white rock.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Which palace was Manco's house
- 02Yurak Rumi libation channels function
Theories
- 01Vitcos as Choquequirao successor
- 02White rock as Vilcabamba origin pacarina shrine
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.1536–1545 (Inca Vilcabamba phase)
- Period
- Late Horizon Inca Resistance 1536–1572
- Culture
- Inca (Neo-Inca State)
- Builders
- Inca (Manco Inca)
- Purpose
- Refuge capital and shrine of resistance
- Abandoned
- c.1572 (Spanish storm and burn)
- Rediscovered
- 1911 Hiram Bingham; Bauer 1980s excavations
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1536
Manco flees Cuzco to Vitcos
1572
Viceroy Toledo captures Túpac Amaru, burns Vitcos
On the ground
Structures & features
13.0983° S · 72.9319° W · 2980 m · 2 mapped features
Rosaspata Palace
palaceWhite granite palace with double niches and plaza
13.0980° S · 72.9315° WYurak Rumi (White Rock)
shrine2.5 m carved white granite libation shrine
13.1109° S · 72.9278° W
Gallery