The Inca made incredible advancements in architecture. One of these was in the way that they made stone buildings. Their masonry was so strong that it would not move in a small to moderate earthquake and even in a large earthquake, the constructions would "dance" and then fall back into place just as it had been. This was because Inca masonry was carved so that each stone fit perfectly into the wall with no extra space. One of the amazing architectural works of the Inca was the great city of Macchu Picchu. The city was built atop a mountaintop and therefore there was precious little flat land for agriculture. To counter this, the Inca made flat-topped terraces or steps with a built-in irrigation system. This made the farmland an ideal place to grow crops. The Inca had outstanding masons, but they used other materials for building, too.

 

The Inca used adobe bricks to make what is called "pillow-faced" architecture. To make such a structure, a builder would take adobe bricks, fire them, and then put them atop a stone foundation. The bricks were held together by a mud mortar. The bricks were then covered in mud and clay to give them a smoother appearance. Then, the mud and clay were often painted for looks. The Inca also made roads that connected the entire empire. These roads were made of stone and kept clean at all times. To cross rivers and other bodies of water, the Inca built rope bridges. They also made rest areas, or inns called Tambos. These were constructed from stone.