Sacsayhuaman near Cuzco, Peru.
I chose Sacsayhuaman as a ruin that I’ve been to personally, because of the immense amount of craft and care that went into carving the rocks. This site was once thought of to be a fort. The sprawling grass over what once was a massive structure is fascinating. The rocks are carved so perfectly to create a jigsaw puzzle. They’re huge, with one wall rising roughly 8 feet tall. It’s a true testament to the impressive craft of the time. The ruins left today are simple, yet beautiful.
I love that you chose these ruins to write about. I have also been to these, and what I remember about them and the city that they were in/around was that they are so closely integrated into the town and culture of that place. You could be walking down the street and one block is completely a preserved ruin. This reminds me of the Neoclassicism beliefs that the past is the past and that we should see it as a space to remember rather than replicate it or try to build on it. Taking the past and put it up on a pedestal, and respect it as something ancient and nostalgic. I wish more places would do that with their ancient ruins that exist within their cities. I really did feel like everyone respected them as ruins.