The Inca civilization, which was mostly destroyed by Spanish invaders in the 16th century, is thought to have had a royal estate or sacred religious site at Machu Picchu, which lies hidden away in the mountainous countryside northwest of Cuzco, Peru. Only local peasants were aware of the existence of the deserted castle for hundreds of years, until the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham discovered it in 1911. The site's astounding 5-mile length is broken up by more than 3,000 stone steps that connect its numerous levels. Presently, hundreds of
Every year, millions of travelers brave crowds and landslides to trek through Machu Picchu, admiring the mystifying splendor of one of the most well-known man-made wonders in the world as the sun sets over its towering stone temples.
Incas at Machu Picchu Past
According to historians, the Inca Empire, which ruled over western South America between the 15th and 16th centuries, was at its height when Machu Picchu was constructed. It was abandoned at the time the Spanish started conquering the powerful pre-Columbian culture in the 1530s, roughly 100 years after it was built. However, there is no proof that the conquistadors actually attacked or even made it to the hilltop castle; as a result, some have proposed that the abandonment of the inhabitants was brought on by a smallpox epidemic.
Today's archaeologists generally concur that Machu Picchu was a royal estate for Inca monarchs and nobility. Some have hypothesized that it was a sacred location and have cited the area's proximity to mountains and other natural landmarks that the Incas revered as sacred as evidence. When Machu Picchu was initially made public, dozens of competing theories have emerged. For instance, researchers have theorized that the site served as a women's retreat, a commercial center, a testing ground for new crops, a prison, or a city where monarchs were crowned.
Hiram Bingham's "Discovery" of Machu Picchu
Hiram Bingham, an American archaeologist, traveled to Peru in the summer of 1911 with a small group of explorers in search of Vilcabamba, the final Inca stronghold to be conquered by the Spaniards. Bingham and his group moved from Cuzco into the Urubamba Valley on foot and on mule, when a local farmer informed them of ancient remains situated at the top of a nearby mountain. The mountain was given the name Machu Picchu by the farmer, which is Quechua for "ancient peak" in English. On July 24, following a challenging ascent to the mountain's ridge in chilly and rainy conditions, Bingham stumbled upon several peasants who led him the rest of the way. Bingham first saw the elaborate network of stone terraces that marked Machu Picchu's entrance while being led by an 11-year-old kid.