Machu Picchu, Peru - spectacular remains of the Incan Empire Machu Picchu is a 15th-century peruvian pre-Columbian site of the Incas 2,430 meters above sea level. It is located saddled between two mountains with the Valley of Urubamba. The valley is located 80 kilometers (50 mi) north of Cusco, while Urubamba River runs through the valley. The majority of archaeologists theorize that Machu Picchu’s construction was for Pachacuti, the Inca emperor (1438–1472) as his estate. It is often called the “Lost City of the Incas”, and has become the most recognized ruin in the entire Inca Empire. It was constructed starting around 1400 AD but abandoned a century later during the conquest by Spanish. Even though it was widely known locally and regionally it was not known to most of the world before 1911 until Hiram Bingham the American historian brought it to the world’s attention. Since that time the ruins have become a worldwide tourist attraction. Since the Spanish were unaware of the site it was left virtually intact as far as a cultural site. In 1981 it was designated a Historical Sanctuary in Peru and in 1983 a UNESECO World Heritage Site.
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 04:07:55 +0000
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