Aerial view of the ruins of Sacsayhuamán, Cusco, Peru June 18, 2026

Aerial view of the ruins of Sacsayhuamán, Cusco, Peru

Set high above Cusco in Peru, Sacsayhuamán reveals the ambition of the Inca Empire in stone. Built in the 15th century, this vast complex once formed part of the sacred capital of the Incas. From above, the layout becomes clear: terraces, open plazas and the remains of towers forming a carefully planned citadel. The largest walls, built from enormous blocks, still stand strong today. Some stones rise more than 8.2 metres tall and were fitted together so precisely—without mortar—that the structure has endured centuries of earthquakes.

© Creative-Family/Getty Images Plus

palette

Today in History

Jun 18, 2024Lupine fields, Snæfellsnes, Iceland
Jun 18, 2025Asian swallowtail butterfly

More Desktop Wallpapers:

June 29, 2026Bora Bora and its lagoon, South Pacific, French Polynesia
Jan 28, 2026Whanganui National Park, Retaruke, New Zealand
Mar 25, 2025European goldfinches
May 21, 2026Tea terraces in Sichuan Province, China
Oct 21, 2025Cap dAntibes, Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur, France
Mar 31, 2025Ostuni, Apulia, Italy
Oct 23, 2024Madame Sherri Forest, New Hampshire, United States
Nov 20, 2023Castell Coch, Tongwynlais, South Wales
Apr 4, 2024Lechwe herd, Botswana
Sept 22, 2026Autumn aspen trees near Guardsman Pass, Utah, United States
Apr 2, 2024Beech trees and anemone wildflowers, Jutland, Denmark
June 24, 2026Butterfly pollinating on yellow flower
June 13, 2026Sunset in Badlands National Park, South Dakota, United States
May 14, 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
Sep 4, 2024Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
Jan 24, 2025Strokkur geyser in Iceland
Feb 6, 2025Archway Islands, Wharariki Beach, South Island, New Zealand
Aug 3, 2026Colourful boats in Marsaxlokk Harbour, Malta
Apr 10, 2026Two young red foxes at Karula National Park, Estonia
Sep 12, 2023North Sea at sunset, Norddorf, Germany
Sept 1, 2026Horsehair parachute fungus, Belarus
Jan 3, 2024Lake Minnewanka, Alberta, Canada
Oct 12, 2023Palouse region, Idaho, USA
July 14, 2026Aerial view of land and ocean, Victoria, Australia
Nov 7, 2024Vancouver Coastal Sea wolves
Jul 19, 2024A young jaguar, Pantanal, Brazil
Sep 1, 2023Turkey tail mushroom
Apr 20, 2024Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
Dec 13, 2024St. Stephens Basilica, Budapest, Hungary
Sep 3, 2025Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness