THE TEMPLE OF THE CONDOR.

The extraordinary beauty that resides in Machu Picchu can be seen both in its ruins in the Valley as well as in their wonderful adjoining places that offer the unique flora and fauna of this Valley of the Andes located in Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu Mountain systems.
The wonder that this place offers is its impressive air show showing the majestic flight of the condor. To the Incas the condor was considered a messenger from earth to the entities governing the supernatural World. The bird was a very sacred symbol which obtain the status of King of the Andes, able to be seen from any location of Machu Picchu.
In the sector to the East of the Citadel are the constructions of greater importance for the Inca people, buildings which were designed to be all oriented to the Sun to facilitate measurements of the constellations and the stars. The Temple of the Condor, as well as the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the 3 Windows, the Sacred Rock, and the residential complex of gardens and patios that served as a monastery for the Virgins of the Sun (Acllawasi) are in this sector.
The Temple of the Condor has its location in the South East of the urban sector of Machu Picchu. It is a natural rock formation that began to take shape by the elements millions of years ago and the Inca people skillfully shaped the rock into the outspread wings of the condor in flight. It shows a series of irregularities in the design of different buildings in a very peculiar way, whose purpose was the melt with the environment, producing a fusion with the profile offered by the rocks of the surrounding area. The Rock massif presents naturally the shape of a bird with wings extended, fact that gave understanding to the Inca people that the settlement designated by their deities for worship and celebration of sacred rituals, were manifested by the reflection of this Rock when illuminated by the Sun projecting the figure of a bird.
On the temple's floor there is a rock carved in the shape of the head, used as a sacrificial altar,  and neck feathers, completing the figure of a 3-dimensional bird.
The Condor represented spirit and higher levels of consciousness, so the Inca people considered the condor to be of elevated importance in the animal and spirit kingdom.
Under the temple there is a small cave that used to contain a mummy as a way of continuity into the afterlife.  A prison like complex stands directly behind the temple, and is comprised of human-size niches and an underground maze of dark dungeons. An accused citizen wold be placed into the niches for up to 3 days to await deliberation of his fate. He could be put to death for sins such as laziness, lust, or theft. In that case they were consumed by wild animals that were locked with them together inside the dungeon.
To the South of the temple is the residential area where the Inca noble class lived, which communicates with the temple through a series of courtyards. They showed signs of having been used for the breeding of Guinea Pigs.
It is possible that the Inca people were capable of building Machu Picchu in the shape of a condor, despite the extremely difficult location and the differences in altitude. The figure of an enormous bird with wings spread out, including the neck and head is only visible from higher locations. One of the best sites is the top of Huayna Picchu, but it is also visible from the Intipunku. Keep in mind that the Inca capital Cuzco, has the shape of a puma.