Millennial

Machu Picchu is an Inca city surrounded by temples, platforms and water channels, built on top of a mountain. Its construction was built with large stone blocks joined together, without the use of amalgam. It is currently considered a cultural heritage of humanity as it is recognized as an important political, religious and administrative center of the Inca period.

Where it is located?

Machu Picchu which in Castilian means “old mountain”, is the most famous Inca citadel in the world. Located 110 kilometers northeast of Cusco, in the province of Urubamba, this architectural gem is surrounded by temples, platforms and water channels.

History and architecture

Built in the 15th century, possibly at the request of the Inca Pachacuteq, Machu Picchu is divided into two major sectors: the agricultural one that comprises a vast network of platforms or artificial terraces and the urban one, formed by various constructions and squares, among which the Temple stands out. del Sol, Temple of the Three Windows, the Main Temple and the Temple of the Condor.

Its buildings follow the classic Inca style: buildings with rectangular shaped polished stone walls, joined together without the use of amalgams, trapezoidal doors and windows.

Important data:

• Declared Cultural and Natural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, as it is considered an important religious, political and administrative center of the Inca period.
• Machu Picchu was interconnected with the entire Inca Empire through the Qhapac Ñan, known route of the Inca roads.
• Its temperature ranges between 6.2 ° and 29.5 °, since it is located in a subtropical zone. Its rainiest months are from November to March.
• Its majestic architecture comprises some 140 structures throughout the citadel.
• The average altitude of the citadel is 2,450 meters above sea level.
• The mountains of Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu are ideal for panoramic photographs of the entire architectural complex.
• Its discovery is due to the researcher Hiram Bingham III who was looking for the last capital of the Incas Vilcabamba.
• Machu Picchu was declared a “Historic Sanctuary of Peru” in 1981.