Machu Picchu
Location
About
An Inca citadel set high in the Andes of Peru at 2,430 meters, Machu Picchu was built around 1450 CE by the Inca emperor Pachacuti as a royal estate and religious sanctuary. The site combines extraordinary dry-stone construction with astronomical alignments and a sacred landscape integrating mountain peaks (apus), running water, and rock outcropping altars into a unified cosmological whole. It was designated a New Seven Wonder of the World in 2007.
Significance
Machu Picchu embodies the Inca concept of ceque — the sacred landscape organized by lines of power radiating from the Inca capital of Cusco across the Andes. The Intihuatana stone (hitching post of the sun), precisely aligned to detect the equinoxes and solstices, was the most sacred huaca (sacred object) in the city. The site survived the Spanish conquest because it was unknown to the conquistadors, preserving a complete Inca sacred landscape.
History & Historical Arc
Pachacuti built Machu Picchu around 1450 CE as an royal estate and religious retreat. Approximately 750 people lived the…
Archaeological Notes
The Intihuatana stone was damaged by a film crew in 2000. The extensive terrace system was designed for both agriculture…
Key Features & Structures
- Intihuatana stone (solstice/equinox alignment)
- Temple of the Sun
Visitor Information
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Daily visitor limits enforced; advance booking essential. Accessible by train from Cusco via…
Related Figures
Source References
- Bingham, Machu Picchu: A Citadel of the Incas (1930)
- Wright & Valencia Zegarra, Machu Picchu: A Civil Engineering Marvel (2000)