Peru's last remaining grass-braided suspension bridge.

The Q'eswachaka suspension bridge is hand-woven and has stood for at least 600 years. Once part of a network linking the most important cities and towns of the Inca empire, the bridge was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.

According to a tradition passed down through generations, all adults in the community annually contribute to building a new bridge over the Apurimac River. Only men are allowed to directly build the bridge, while women stay in the upper part of the gorge to braid smaller ropes.

On the first day of rebuilding the bridge, the men gathered around the old bridge and braided small ropes into larger ones. The bridge's main support came from six three-layered ropes, each about 30 cm thick, with each large rope made up of 120 smaller ropes.

Every family contributed their efforts by hand-weaving sections of the rope from a type of tough grass known locally as qoya ichu. To make it easier to bend, they first pounded the ends of the grass with a round stone, then soaked them in water.

While everyone was busy building the bridge, others would cook food over wood fires and bring it from the village to the construction site. Chicken, cuy (guinea pig), and salmon caught from the Apurimac River were the most popular dishes, all served with locally grown potatoes of various shapes and colors.

The old bridge was cut up and set adrift downstream, and because it was made of grass, it would simply decompose without affecting the water source.

Four of the six ropes woven from grass will form the bridge's deck, and the remaining two will be the handrails. All six ropes will be securely fastened to large, carved stone pillars on either side of the canyon. The men will spend considerable time pulling the ropes to achieve the precise tension.

On the third day, a few men unafraid of heights had to go up onto the bridge to tie small ropes from the handrails down to the deck, creating a protective barrier to keep people crossing the bridge safe.

No modern materials, tools, or machinery were used in the construction of the bridge – only grass and human labor.

The reconstruction of the Q'eswachaka Bridge takes place once a year, culminating in a boisterous celebration with plenty of delicious food and joyful music on the fourth day of the repairs, which always coincides with the second Sunday of June.