Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-ir) -- An investigation done by Cusco's National Institute of Culture (INC) has uncovered five sectors of Incan paths and platforms adjacent to Machu Picchu citadel.

The Incan Sanctuary has grown from what was thought to be 90 thousand square meters to an incredible 136 thousand square meters.

Machu Picchu's Resident architect for INC-Cusco, Alfredo Mormontoy Atayupanqui has stated that apart form other sectors, there are 46 thousand square meters of platforms and 8 Incan paths on Huayna Picchu hill.

There are 5 groups of platforms in different locations. The first group consists of 22 platforms and is divided by a perron while the second group has 15 platforms. The third group has a top and bottom half, the top half has 35 platforms and the bottom half has 15. The fourth group has 18 platforms, perrons and a well elaborated Incan path.

The fifth group has 30 platforms, a perron and a path that leads to a stone bridge support, to which a bridge, that crossed over the river to another hill, used to be attached.

Atayupanqui stated that within the next few months projects to restore and prepare the area will begin, estimating that by 2009 work will be done and the area will be ready for tourists.