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Espiritu Pampa

Espiritu Pampa, or "the plain of the spirits", located some 170km northwest of Cuzco, was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911, just a few weeks after his discovery of Machu Picchu. The ruins lie at an elevation of just 1,000 metres above sea level, relatively low for an Inca city.

MapIn 1964 the American explorer Gene Savoy led another expedition to Espiritu Pampa and discovered that a much larger city lay hidden in the jungle than Bingham has suspected. A further expedition in 1965 uncovered over 50 buildings and almost 300 houses in the dense undergrowth. He found evidence of a large city with streets, temples, houses, fountains, canals and bridges.

In his book "The Conquest of the Incas", John Hemming carefully summarises the numerous reasons for believing that the ruins at Espiritu Pampa are the lost city of Vilcabamba, the last refuge of the Incas. The distance from the known ruins of Vitcos fits with historical accounts and the geographical position fits the description of Vilcabamba being located in a tropical, low-lying valley. Most conclusively of all perhaps was Gene Savoy's discovery of buildings covered by primitive roof tiles, crude imitations of Spanish architecture. Vilcabamba was the only Inca city constructed after the arrival and influence of the Spanish and such roof tiles are also mentioned in the accounts of the conquistadors who penetrated Vilcabamba in 1572.

The last refuge of the Incas was described as a well-planned and prosperous town by the invading Spaniards: "The climate is such that bees make honeycomb like those of Spain in the boards of the houses, and the maize is harvested three times a year... The town has a location half a league wide... but covering a long distance in length. In it are raised parrots, hens, ducks, local rabbits, turkeys, pheasants... There are a great many pears and other fruit trees... The houses and sheds were covered in good thatch. The Incas had a palace on different levels, covered in roof tiles. The Incas therefore enjoyed scarcely less of the luxuries, greatness and splendour of Cuzco in that distant land... they enjoyed life there".