Machu Picchu
Hiram Bingham was the first western explorer to discover Machu Picchu. He was searching for the lost ruins of Vilcabamba. Little did he know he would find one of the largest Incan ruins. Bingham was led to the site by a farmer in Ollantaytamba. When he got to the top of the mountain a young Quechua boy led him through a dense forest to the ancient ruins. Originally Hiram thought this was the long lost Vilcabamba, but he soon realized it was far bigger and more grand.
Today Machu Picchu attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. In contrast during the Inca rule only about one thousand people lived there. The buildings still stand and the rock walls are so strong that even today you cannot stick a knife blade in between them although they have no mortar. The city has over 700 terraces, but had no iron, steel, or wheels. Machu Picchu is surrounded by the Urubamba River and and has an elevation of 14,000 feet. Many think Machu Picchu was built for one of these three things: a ceremonial site, a military stronghold, or a vacation home for rulers. Sadly the city was abandoned in the early sixteenth century.
Machu Picchu was a very decorated city. Although made almost entirely of stone bricks they have thrones, terraces, fountains, and artificial waterfalls. Sixteen of those fountains still work today! Also running around the city were the famous stone roads. there are over 10,000 miles of roads. However they did not have wheels so people ran messages to and from cities. Along the way they had many rest houses called tambos. This great city is another way of showing the sophistication of the Incas.
Today Machu Picchu attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. In contrast during the Inca rule only about one thousand people lived there. The buildings still stand and the rock walls are so strong that even today you cannot stick a knife blade in between them although they have no mortar. The city has over 700 terraces, but had no iron, steel, or wheels. Machu Picchu is surrounded by the Urubamba River and and has an elevation of 14,000 feet. Many think Machu Picchu was built for one of these three things: a ceremonial site, a military stronghold, or a vacation home for rulers. Sadly the city was abandoned in the early sixteenth century.
Machu Picchu was a very decorated city. Although made almost entirely of stone bricks they have thrones, terraces, fountains, and artificial waterfalls. Sixteen of those fountains still work today! Also running around the city were the famous stone roads. there are over 10,000 miles of roads. However they did not have wheels so people ran messages to and from cities. Along the way they had many rest houses called tambos. This great city is another way of showing the sophistication of the Incas.