The Mystery of Machu Picchu
At 2,400 meters above sea level in the Andes Mountains of Peru lies a mysterious city in a stunning natural landscape that was once home to between 300 and 1,000 residents. Machu Picchu is a historic site of the Inca Empire, which at its peak was the largest empire of its time in the Americas.
How Was The City Built?
The city was built in the early 15th century, and its ruins reveal the extraordinary architectural skills of the Inca Civilization. The ruins consist of 200 buildings made entirely out of finely carved granite stones, fitted together without the use of mortar. They were installed so precisely that not even a piece of paper can be inserted between them.
Because of this masterful masonry, the buildings were incredibly resistant to earthquakes. In the event of a tremor, the stone walls move slightly and resettle without the building collapsing. Since Peru is a region with high seismic activity, this building method is likely the primary reason why most of the structures at Machu Picchu are still standing today.
The Reason for Building Machu Picchu
Many researchers believe that the city was built as a royal estate for the Inca Emperor and a luxury getaway for the elite. Others have claimed that it was instead the perfect hideout to protect the Emperor in case of a foreign invasion.
Since the surrounding mountains were considered sacred by the Incas, it also could have been a religious center to honor the landscape. This theory explains why Machu Picchu features multiple temples, including the impressive Temple of the Sun, which was built with great precision using only the finest materials.
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While the true reason for building Machu Picchu remains unclear, it is known that the city did not remain inhabited for very long. By 1528, less than a hundred years after it was built, the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire began. Fearing looting and destruction, the residents abandoned the city. In a brilliant move to protect their sacred site, they burned down the surrounding forests so that no more paths could be found leading up the mountain.
Their plan worked out flawlessly. The Spanish invaders never found the city. After the Spanish victory in 1572, many of the other major Inca cities were destroyed, including Vilcabamba, the last Inca stronghold to fall. Because there was no written record of Machu Picchu and no visible way to access it, it remained untouched and unseen by the conquerors.
How Was Machu Picchu Discovered?
More than three centuries later, American explorer and historian Hiram Bingham led a small expedition to Cuzco in hopes of discovering the lost city of Vilcabamba. After reaching a small settlement on the outskirts of Cuzco, the explorers asked a local farmer about ancient ruins in the area.
The farmer told them about extensive ruins high in the mountains. On July 24, 1911, the explorers hiked the treacherous trails on mules to reach the site. Bingham initially concluded that this was the lost city of Vilcabamba; however, that was not the case, and the stunning ruins became known to the world as Machu Picchu.
Today, more than 100 years after its scientific rediscovery, Machu Picchu stands as one of the most visited and culturally significant places in the world.
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