What exactly is Machu Picchu?

What exactly is Machu Picchu?

Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca site located on a ridge between the Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu mountains in Peru. It sits 7,970 feet (2,430 meters) above sea level on the eastern slope of the Andes and overlooks the Urubamba River hundreds of feet below.

What's so special about Machu Picchu?

It is considered by many to be the most spectacular urban creation of the Inca Empire and one of the most important heritage sites in the world. It sits on top of a mountain, 8,000 feet (2,430 meters) in the tropical forest, offering spectacular scenery with significant endemic biodiversity of flora and fauna.

Why is Huayna Picchu important?

Machu Picchu symbolizes the excellent technical skill, and productivity of the Inca Empire in its apogee. ... It is considered as the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire and one of the most important heritage sites in the world.

What killed the Incas?

Influenza and smallpox were the main causes of death among the Inca population and it affected not only the working class but also the nobility.

How old is Machu Picchu in years?

Burger and his team found evidence that Machu Picchu can date all the way back to 1420, 30 years older than thought. Burger and his team made the discovery using organic material taken from skeletons found in 1912, and with the help of a process called accelerator mass spectrometry.

Why is Machu Picchu a no fly zone?

Peru's Transport and Communications ministry has declared the area around the site a no-fly zone. Environmentalists said a number of rare animals and plants would have been severely affected by the low-flying helicopter tours. Machu Picchu, a world heritage site, is Peru's biggest tourist attraction.

What are 3 things about Machu Picchu?

12 cool facts about Machu Picchu in Peru

• Each stone was precisely cut to fit together so tightly that no mortar was needed to keep the walls standing. ...
• Machu Picchu sits at 2,430 metres above sea level. ...
• Machu Picchu is a Wonder of the World and a World Heritage-listed site.

Why is Machu Picchu called the Lost City?

Machu Picchu was a city of the Inca Empire. It is sometimes called the "lost city" because the Spanish never discovered the city when they conquered the Inca in the 1500s. Today the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Who found Machu Picchu?

Hiram Bingham A pair of local farmers walked them a short way before handing them over to a small boy. With the boy leading the way, Hiram Bingham stumbled upon one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century—and what was named in 2007 as one of the new seven wonders of the world: Machu Picchu.

How did the Spanish destroy the Incas?

The main view is that the Inca were eventually defeated due to inferior weapons, 'open battle' tactics, disease, internal unrest, the bold tactics of the Spanish, and the capture of their emperor.

What was the true purpose of Machu Picchu?

• What was the function of Machu Picchu? Sacred place and refuge of Inca Pachacutec. ... Place of study of the weather. ... Source of exotic products. ... Astronomical Observatory. ... Main urban center. ... The house of the Virgins of the Sun. ... Agricultural function. ... Fortress. ... Abandonment of Machu Picchu. ...

What is the best month to travel to Machu Picchu?

• "The best months to visit Machu Picchu are May and June, since they are the mildest ones. Always try to bring along an umbrella or raingear, sunscreen and bags to protect your photographic equipment.".

What are the mysteries of Machu Picchu?

• The Mysteries of Machu Picchu. In the Cusco region of Peru, 2.4 km above sea level in the mountains, the ruins of Machu Picchu were re-discovered in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram Bingham . Machu Picchu, which means ‘Old Mountain’, is an Inca site in the mountains of Peru which is often referred to as the ‘Lost city of the Incas’.

What is Machu Picchu famous for?

• Machu Picchu is famous outside of Peru for its well-preserved Inca ruins and mountain terraces, and is known to have been constructed to be the official home of the Inca rulers in the middle of the 15th century, serving as a ceremonial centre for up to 750 residents at any given time.