Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is one of the most inspiring archaeological sites ever discovered. Located northwest of Cuzco, above the Urubamba River valley in Peru, it continue to reveal the mysteries of the Inca Empire. This wonder with its cultural, historical and natural charms, has become the ultimate destination for many travelers.

Built around 1450–1460 in classical Inca style, Machu Picchu was separated into three areas – agricultural, urban, and religious. The numerous structures and terraces were arranged so that the function of the buildings matched its surroundings. Its sophisticated dry-stone walls and huge blocks, all cut to fit perfectly together, without metal tools, wheel or mortars. Machu Picchu was a ceremonial center of the Incas, and also served as an astronomical observatory, with astronomical alignments.

About 100 years after its construction, Machu Picchu was abandoned, probably around the time the Spanish began their conquest of the mighty pre-Columbian civilization in the 1530s. Machu Picchu remained hidden to the outside world until Hiram Bingham, an American archaeologist, brought it to international attention in 1911.

In 1981, Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historic Sanctuary and in 1983, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But despite its distinction as one of the most iconic and important archeological sites in the world, the origins of Machu Picchu remain a mystery.