It was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments.
- United Nations (Geneva) 2007. Macchu Pichu.
Historic Sanctuary of Machu
Picchu (1983)
Peru
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Machu Picchu stands 2,430 m above sea-level, in the middle of a tropical
mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting.
It was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments.
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The natural setting, on the eastern slopes of the Andes,
encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna.
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Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca stronghold in the Andes, about 80 km (about 50 mi) northwest of Cuzco, Peru. Located at a high altitude on a ridge between two peaks, about 600 m (about 1950 ft) above the Urubamba River, the ruined city covers about 13 sq km (about 5 sq mi) of terraces built around a central plaza and linked by numerous stairways.
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The majority of buildings are one-room stone houses (now roofless), arranged around internal courts; some larger structures were evidently used for religious purposes. All are distinguished by engineering skill and fine craftsmanship.
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The city was discovered in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram Bingham; it is not mentioned in the writings of the Spanish conquerors of Peru, and the time of its occupancy is uncertain. Bingham believed that Machu Picchu might have been the last refuge of Incas from Cuzco fleeing the Spanish invaders, but nothing is actually known of its history.
Sources and links:
Other World Cultural Heritage Properties in Peru (on this web site). Please refer to the UNESCO-listing, Peru-section. for more information about the individual properties.
Revised 21 aug 2007 |
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