Machu Picchu: The Ruins City of the Incas

Machu Picchu is one of the most fascinating and mysterious archaeological sites in the world. Located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru, on a mountain ridge 2,430 meters above sea level, this ancient city was built by the Inca Empire in the 15th century and abandoned a century later during the Spanish conquest. It was not widely known to the outside world until 1911, when it was “discovered” by the American explorer Hiram Bingham.

Machu Picchu means “Old Peak” in Quechua, the language of the Incas. It is also known as the “Lost City of the Incas”, although this name is more accurately applied to another site, Vilcabamba, where the last Inca rulers resisted the Spanish invaders until 1572. Machu Picchu was probably an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, who ruled from 1438 to 1472. It may have also served as a religious center, a royal retreat, or a sacred place for pilgrimage.

The city consists of more than 200 buildings, including temples, palaces, houses, workshops, storage rooms, and terraces for agriculture. The most notable structures are the Intihuatana (a stone pillar that served as a sundial), the Temple of the Sun (a semicircular building that aligned with the solstices), and the Room of the Three Windows (a chamber with three trapezoidal windows that faced the sunrise). The buildings are made of finely cut and fitted stones that were polished without mortar. The craftsmanship and engineering skills of the Incas are evident in the way they adapted their architecture to the rugged terrain and seismic activity of the area.

Machu Picchu is surrounded by natural beauty and mystery. The site lies at the center of a network of related sites and trails that connected the Inca Empire. Some of these sites and trails align with astronomical events, such as the solstice sunset. The city also overlooks the Urubamba River valley, which forms a canyon with a tropical mountain climate. The biodiversity of the region is remarkable, with more than 400 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies, and many other animals and plants.

Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World since 2007. It attracts millions of visitors every year who come to admire its beauty and history. However, it also faces many challenges and threats, such as over-tourism, environmental degradation, climate change, landslides, fires, and looting. The Peruvian government and various organizations are working to preserve and protect this invaluable cultural and natural heritage for future generations.