Some people call it Peru Machu or Peru Picchu, but the facts Machu Picchu uncover are really just educated guesses because so little is known about this ancient city. Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, is nestled 7,500 feet above sea level in the Andean mountain range above the Urubamba valley.
Many questions remain unanswered but here are a few generally accepted ideas about this ancient city on a mountain peak:
It was probably created around 1450 near the height of the Inca Empire. No one knows what the real purpose of Machu Picchu was. Some people speculate it was a prison and some say it was a defensive retreat, but the most common belief is that Machu Picchu was the estate of an Inca emperor. Like I said earlier, most of the facts are really just agreed upon speculations.
It’s also generally accepted that Machu Picchu was a self-sustaining city. The evidence for this comes from the farming terraces. It seems like a reasonable conclusion. If you’re building a city high in the mountains it’d be difficult to travel to other cities to get the supplies you need. However even the self-sufficiency of Machu Picchu is under debate. Some believe that the farming terraces are actually structures to help Machu Picchu withstand earthquakes.
Machu Picchu Architecture
Probably one of the most significant features of Machu Picchu history is the architecture. Like the pyramids of Egypt, it was created using massive stones hauled over great distances.
However, unlike the Egyptians, the Incas didn’t use any kind of mortar to bind their stones together. Instead they cut the stones with such precision that they fit together so tightly that you couldn’t even fit a thin knife blade between them.
This design made the Inca structures highly resistant to earthquakes and it’s one of the reasons Machu Picchu is still standing today.
There’s a lot of speculation surrounding how the Incas could have made such cut stone to such precise dimensions without the help of modern technology. Some have even gone so far as to suggest that the Inca had extraterrestrial help.
But the Incas did it, the main facts Machu Picchu architecture is well known for, are the real draw of the lost city of the incas.
One of the new seven wonders of the World
The facts Machu Picchu uncovered are so amazing that on July 7, 2007 it was named one of the new seven wonders of the world joining other wonders such as the Great Wall of China. Tourism to Machu Picchu is also increasing. Last year roughly 800,000 visitors came to visit the lost city of the incas prompting some concern about taking measures to preserve the site.
But perhaps the most interesting of the facts Machu Picchu reveal is that it’s not the only lost city high in the Andean mountains. Archeologist and treasure hunters have been following rumors of other cities for years. So far none have been found. But, of course, that doesn’t mean that they’re not there. They’re just yet to be discovered.
Machu Picchu Video
Machu Picchu is one of the most important historical monuments in the world. The following documentary explains many of the mysteries of this ancient city. How the Incas built more than 14,000 miles of roads, 600 terraces, thousands of steps, several temples, 16 fountains (sometimes using up to 20 tons stones) and why they abandoned the city.
Machu Picchu Cusco Travel
Guided Trips to Machu Picchu
Choosing one of the tours of Machu Picchu will make you marvel with the Lost city of the Incas, the Sacsaywaman fortress, the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of Wiracocha, Cusco Cathedral, Lares and its lost comunities, etc.
Inca Trail Holiday Tours
An inca trail holiday will impress you with great lakes, snow-capped mountains, vast valleys and Inca ruins.
Visiting Machu Picchu
If you are planing to travel to Machu Picchu, "The Lost City of the Incas", prepare your soul for an idyllic dream.
Explore the sacred valleys, mountains, temples, ruins and trails. Try to find answers to the enigma around The lost city of the Incas, a misterious city. Roads, steps, fountains, temples and spectacular views are just a sample of what you will find when travelling to Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, is nestled 7,500 feet above sea level in the Andean mountain range above the Urubamba valley.
Many questions remain unanswered but here are a few generally accepted ideas about this ancient city on a mountain peak. Like the pyramids of Egypt, it was created using massive stones hauled over great distances. Inca structures were highly resistant to earthquakes and it’s one of the reasons Machu Picchu is still standing today.
The Inca Trail is a mountainous jungle hike that take you to the Lost City of the Incas. It is usually covered in 4 days (about 45 Kilometers) arriving at Machu Picchu on the final day before returning to Cusco.
You will reach altitudes of 4200m and enjoy spectacular views along the way. It is rated moderate so any person reasonably fit will be able to cover the route. Probably one of the most significant features of Machu Picchu history is the architecture.
The site of Machu Picchu has been described as an absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilization. It is without a doubt one of the most worthy and possibly life changing sites there is in the world.
The sprawling complex of Machu Picchu architecture, at an elevation of nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, often appears to merge with the surrounding hillside.
Based on evidence, it has been suggested that the Machu Picchu Inca Citadel was built for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, however there are other various theories on the purpose of the site including one that suggests it was a settlement built to control the economy of the Inca regions.
Hiram Bingham was born on the 19th of November, 1875. He went on to become an academic, working in Universities such as Princeton and later Yale, where he was appointed lecturer in South American history.
Huayna Picchu or Wayna Picchu is one of the famous mountain images in the world. With a height of 2667 meters above sea level, it beautifully raises over Machu Picchu.
The most interesting thing here is the view of the Lost City of the Incas and the Urubamba river to the bottom of the Canyon, you can even hear its turbulent waters from such a high altitude.
Machu Picchu weather is divided between dry and wet seasons. Most of the annual rainfall occurs from October to April, although it is not unusual for the summertime Machu Picchu weather to include rainstorms.
Many people choose to hike the Inca Trail to get to Machu Picchu, but many more are limited by time so they choose to take the train (It's a 70 mile-112 km ride). The train sets out for Machu Picchu and arrives in Aguas Calientes. There is a shorter route that also leads to the lost city of the Incas, it is the Ollanta route, and begins in the main intermediate station, Ollanta.
Book your Machu Picchu Hotel
Machu Picchu is one of the seven wonders of the world, so you better make sure you´ve got somewhere to sleep ASAP.
El Salvador
Ruins
Explore the pre-Mayan and Mayan ruins in El Salvador such as Joya de
Cerén, which is often referred to as the Pompeii of the Americas.
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