Woman Holding Flowers, Ollantaytambo, Peru Postcard

A woman holding flowers stands an ancient street in Ollantaytambo, Peru, which dates from the late 15th century and has some of the oldest continuously occupied dwellings in South America. Many Inca walls still stand. The town is an important Inca archaeological site in southern Peru, about 32 miles (60 kilometres) northwest of the city of Cusco. It sits at an altitude of 9,160 feet) (2,792 metres) above sea level in the district of Ollantaytambo, province of Urubamba, Cusco region. During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti who conquered the region, built the town and a ceremonial centre. At the time of the Spanish conquest of Peru it served as a stronghold for Manco Inca Yupanqui, leader of the Inca resistance. It is an important tourist attraction because of its Inca buildings and as one of the most common starting points for the three-day, four-night hike known as the Inca Trail.