Knowing the Wonder Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is known as the lost city of the Incas. It was said that this Inca city was lined with gold and that its shine could be distinguished from several kilometers around. Machu Picchu is the contemporary name given to this “llaqta” (ancient Inca town).

Machu Picchu was built before the 15th century, located at 2430 meters above sea level. It is located in the Cusco Region, Urubamba Province, Machupicchu District, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, 80 kilometers northwest of the city of Cusco. According to many archaeologists and historians, the original name of Machu Picchu would have been Llaqtapata.

Some of its best constructions are ceremonial. Possibly, Machu Picchu was used as a religious sanctuary. Machu Picchu is considered a masterpiece of the Inca architecture and engineering. Its peculiar architectural and landscape features, and the mystery around it, have made it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, as well as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

It’s reconstruction has been on going for several dozen years. In 1976, 30% of the entire archaeological complex had been restored, but to this day various areas of the Inca city of Machu Picchu continue to be restored. Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1983. On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was declared one of the new seven wonders of the modern world in a ceremony held in Lisbon (Portugal), which had the participation of one hundred million voters around the world.