Ollantaytambo is a town in southern Peru, located in the district of Ollantaytambo, province of Urubamba, Cusco region. It is approximately 60 km to the northwest of the city of Cusco, situated at an altitude of 2792 meters above sea level. Ollantaytambo, which means something like "Storehouse of my Lord," is thought to be the only remaining example of pre-Columbian urban planning. The buildings and courtyards as well as the narrow lanes have their original form. The straight, narrow streets today form fifteen square blocks, or canchas, which contain one entrance to a central quadrangle which is surrounded by houses. A number of fine colonial houses are constructed on finely-worked Inca walls of dark pink rock. The original Inca settlement constituted an administrative, religious, agricultural and military complex.
According to a romantic legend, the town name origins from the name of young commander Ollantay. He was in love with Great Inca's daughter. In one of the legend's versions, after Great Inca's death, his son allows Ollantay to stay with the princess and their daughter Yma Sumak. According to another version, furious Great Inca put the princess into dungeons and commited young Ollantay to death. Ollantay defended himself for many months in the fortress, but betrayed was hanged on the fortress walls. Since then the fortress was called Ollantaytambo.
