Machu Picchu
One of the 7 Wonders of the World
Welcome to the proud and symbolic heart of Peru, Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is well known for important ruins of the Inca civilization. Approaching the ruins, it will feel like entering a gate for a new breathtaking world. Up in the 9000 ft tall grassy mountain forests that stand in the Cusco Region of southern Peru, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Located between the Amazon Basin and the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu is surrounded with diverse orchid species, lush forests, and ferns. It has more than 200 structures, including temples and citadel surrounded by houses and fields across 5 square miles of mountain hills. Machu Picchu was built around the 15th century. It was suggested that it was a palace for the Inca ruler Pachacuti Inca. The legend of Machu Picchu was that the city housed the Incas prior to their migration to Cuzco, their final home. Surprisingly, when the Spanish arrived in South America, they never encountered Machu Picchu, making the preservation of the structures remarkable.
When Yale Professor Hiram Bingham found the Pre-Columbian stone city, he was surprised to find the highly generated layout of the ruins. It was later found that the precise placements of each stone in construction was engineered to resist earthquakes. Now, Machu Picchu is swarmed by curious tourists who strive to experience an open-eyed experience.
Full picture of Machu Picchu
Gray-Beasted Mountain Toucan
Hiram Bingham at Machu Picchu