Machu Picchu is an old medieval city situated in the Peruvian Andes. It is thought that it was constructed in the 1400s and abandoned a few hundred years later. Hiram Bingham, an American adventurer, unearthed Machu Picchu in 1911. Today, it is one of the world’s most frequently visited tourist spots. A Map For Tourists is the most important thing in order to visit Machu Picchu. It is the land of fantasies which gives vibes of some historic scenes.
Machu Picchu boasts a breath taking view of the Urubamba River below and is bordered by cliffs on three sides. The city was constructed with two primary zones: the top and bottom. In the Inca civilization, the top region was reserved for the aristocracy, while the lower part was for the commoners.
There are several explanations for why Machu Picchu was erected. Some say it was the summer residence of Inca ruler Pachacuti. Others say it was a hallowed spot where religious events took place. However, the most plausible theory is that it was constructed as a defensive castle to stave off enemy assaults.
Inca Pachacutic constructed Machu Picchu
During1911 the expedition, American explorer Hiram Bingham III stumbled into Machu Picchu while hunting for another city, Vilcabamba. When the Spanish conquistadors came in 1532, the Inca concealed their capital to avoid capture. Its reputation as the famed Lost City of the Inca grew as time passed.
For most of his life, Bingham maintained that Machu Picchu and Vilcabamba were the same sites; this idea was disproved until after his passing in 1956. The original Vilcabamba (believed to have been constructed in the forest some 50 miles west of Machu Picchu) is now thought to have been established there. It’s unclear if Machu Picchu was forgotten, as discovered by recent studies. Three farming families were already residing there when Bingham arrived.
Hidden Museum
One of the most peculiar aspects of Machu Picchu for tourists accustomed to interpretive signage in national parks is that the site gives almost little information on the ruins. This deficiency has one benefit, however: the bankruptcies stay uncluttered.
The excellent Museo de Sitio Manuel Chávez Ballón ($7 admission) explains how and why Machu Picchu was constructed (displays are in English and Spanish) and why the Inca picked such a remarkable natural setting for the citadel. However, it would help if you located the museum first. It is situated inconveniently at the end of a lengthy dirt road towards the foot of Machu Picchu, about a 30-minute walk from AguasCalientes.
Machu Picchu’s Secreted Drainage System
Modern engineers have calculated that 60 percent of Machu Picchu consists of subsurface structures, whereas we can only see 40 percent of the site. This doesn’t mean tunnels. The drainage system and the building’s foundations on such a steep mountaintop are underground constructions.
Machu Picchu Possesses a Secret Temple
If you happen to be one of the first people on the guest list for Huayna Picchu, don’t waste your time by just ascending the mountain, taking some pictures, and then leaving. The Temple of the Moon is on the opposite side of Huayna Picchu and may be reached by taking the terrifying trail up the mountain.
In this cave, decorated with fine masonry and niches likely used to house mummies, a shrine has been constructed for ceremonial purposes.
Possible Conclusion of a Journey
According to a new theory by Italian archaeoastronomer Giulio Magli, the journey to Machu Picchu from Cusco may have had ceremonial significance. This theory suggests that the journey could have echoed the celestial trip that the first Inca took when they left the Island of the Sun in Lake Titicaca. Magli claims that the impracticable but physically spectacular Inca Trail prepared pilgrims for admission into Machu Picchu via the more reasonable approach along the banks of the Urubamba River. The journey’s last part was ascending the stairs to the Intihuatana Stone, the highest point of the significant ruins.
Machu Picchu Had a Majority of the Women
Around 160 remains were discovered at Machu Picchu; most were minor. According to Bingham, the location was a “Temple of The Virgins of the Sun.” the osteologist Dr. George Eaton deduced that women made up most of Machu Picchu’s inhabitants due to this.
Later studies would demonstrate that there were approximately equally as many female and male skeletons and that the structure is small because it matches the average height of the Incas at the period.
Wrapping Up
Machu Picchu, located in the Andes Mountains at an altitude of more than 7,000 feet, is Peru’s most popular tourist attraction. Machu Picchu, constructed by the Incas in 1450 A.D. and now a symbol of the Incan Empire, was first recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983 and then also identified as one of the Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
