The Atlas Obscura Podcast

The Man Who Rebuilds the Last Inca Rope Bridge

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May 14, 2025 11:05pm

27m

At the height of the Incan empire, a series of 200 woven suspension bridges crisscrossed the valleys of the Andes. Today, only one remains. It’s called the Q'eswachaka, and it’s rewoven every year by a continuous line of bridge builders. 
 

Journalist Eliot Stein traveled to Peru to meet the current bridge builder, and to witness this incredible tradition. His book, Custodians of Wonder, chronicles traditions like these across the globe, and the people preserving them.  


Plus: Listen to our episode all about the the world’s rarest pasta, or “threads of god.”