THE SQUARE CROSS - CHAKANA -

The SQUARE CROSS personifies THE CONSTELLATION believed by THE ANCIENT ANDEANS TO BE THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. The SACRED PLAZA or PLAZA OF THE SUN is the representation of this center point in MACHU PICCHU.

The plaza has three enclosures with CARDINAL distribution, from them, two are more noteworthy :
- the "MAIN ALTAR" enclosure located at the NORTHERN END of the plaza with a perfect carved
  CEREMONIAL TABLE.
- the TEMPLE of the THREE WINDOWS (or Temple of the THREE OPEN WINDOWS," because
  in its EAST face, this enclosure actually has three open windows and two closed windows, which
  also form niches or altars.
We also have a third enclosure with very simple masonry located towards the SOUTH END of the
PLAZA that was used by a PRIEST or PRIESTESS to store ceremonial objects, or rest during some
moment of the day, or keep vigilance over the temple itself.
So far we have three enclosures of CARDINAL PLACEMENT; to complete the missing WESTERN
direction, we will use the OPEN SPACE where in its RIGHT ANGLE we find a SEMICIRCULAR
BASE that COINCIDE WITH THE STRUCTURE and FUNCTION of the TEMPLE of the SUN
(SOLAR TOWER). Observations of LIGHT and SHADOW at sunset were realized here.
This OPEN SPACE containing the SEMICIRCULAR BASE points along the HORIZON towards the
WILLKAMAYU RIVER, ending in the VILCABAMBA CORDILLERA, and perfected by the
"PUMASILLU" (the Puma's Claw) MOUNTAIN.
In this way the PLAZA defines the form of the "SQUARE CROSS," a studied symbol that represented
 the SOUTHERN CROSS CONSTELLATION.

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