Due to the steep topography of the Andes and the dramatic locations of many Inca settlements, large areas needed to be leveled for building sites. By necessity the terracing follows the topography, as do many of the sites carved into the hillsides.
The organic nature of the structures can be seen in the pictures below and to the right. Both are at Pisac in the Sacred Valley. One wraps around the outside contours while one fits into the small saddle in the ridge.

In the picture directly below, the terraces and the outer rooms follow the curvature of the topography with some more rectilinear rooms in the middle.

 

 

Terracing 2

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