USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a 2, 430-meter (7, 970 ft) mountain ridge. Often referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas", it is the most familiar icon of the Inca Empire.

Detailed explanation-2: -More than 7, 000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu is the most visited tourist destination in Peru. A symbol of the Incan Empire and built around 1450AD, Machu Picchu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

Detailed explanation-3: -Today Machu Picchu is a Historic National Sanctuary, protected by the Peruvian Government, and given the status of a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1983. It is considered one of the archaeological wonders of the world and is visited by tourists from every part of the globe.

Detailed explanation-4: -Many modern-day archaeologists now believe that Machu Picchu served as a royal estate for Inca emperors and nobles. Others have theorized that it was a religious site, pointing to its proximity to mountains and other geographical features that the Incas held sacred.

Detailed explanation-5: -Machu Picchu is also important to indigenous cultural heritage. The ancient city might be called the crowning achievement of Incan culture and spirituality. The culture and language of the contemporary indigenous people comes directly from Incas. In a very real sense, Machu Picchu is where these people come from.