The Main Door to Machu Picchu
The builders of Machu Picchu chose a very good defensive position for the city; a surprise attack from enemies was made impossible by the steep cliffs and slopes that surround the city. The main door was the most vulnerable point as it was the only way to enter the ancient walled city which had interior defensive features consisting of strategically placed raised embankments from which an enemy could be easily repelled.
The main door has a classic trapezoidal Inca form; most impressive is the lintel which weighs several tons and would have been extremely hard to put in place especially considering its symmetry with the rest of the surrounding constructions.
The city was sealed from the inside by a heavy wooden door which was lifted and dropped via a complex pulley system.
