Unknown Information About Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu still remain mysteries of the Inca culture. Machu Picchu is undoubtedly the flagship destination of Peru! almost one and a half million tourists go every year to confront the reality of this mythical and magical site.

A briefing history

Machu Picchu, meaning “old mountain,” is an ancient Inca city, built in the 15th century, on a mountaintop near Cusco, the center of Inca culture. It would have been built by order of the Inca Pachacutec, but its use remains a mystery:

Photograph of Machu Picchu taken in 1912 by Bingham.

Military, religious center or retreat of the royal family?

The site is divided into two areas, an agricultural area to the south, made up of terraces dedicated to agriculture, and an urban area to the north, where step pyramids, temples, solar calendars and households were built. The domestication of animals, such as the alpaca and the llama, was widespread and formed the basis of the economy of the people (wool was extracted from these animals and they were also used to transport goods and food).

For a long time, Machu Picchu was called the lost city of the Incas, it was scientifically made known in 1911 1911 during an expedition by American archaeologist Hiram Bingham. Although there are ancient records, we only knew that its mountain was located on the circuit of the so-called “Inca Trail“, a hillside path that linked the entire Inca Empire for about 40,000 kilometers.

Currently, Machu Picchu is recognized as one of the 7 wonders of the modern world and classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO and still fascinates for its architectural and natural beauty, as well as the many mysteries surrounding its history and construction. Below we reveal some surprising and little known about Machu Picchu.

Is this really the lost city of the Incas?

Photograph of Machu Picchu taken in 1912 by Bingham.

When explorer and archaeologist Hiram Bingham rediscovered Machu Picchu in 1911, he was looking for another city, known as Vilcabamba, considered the last refuge of the Inca empire before its defeat by Spanish colonizers in 1572. Over time, it has become famous as the legendary “lost city of the Incas.”

Hiram Bingham spent most of his life disproving that Machu Picchu and Vilcabamba were the same thing, a theory that was proven wrong only after his death in 1956. Furthermore, Machu Picchu was never truly “lost”; in fact, when Bingham arrived, three farming families lived there and were still terracing the site.

The City Was Built to Withstand Earthquakes

Another of the mysterious secrets of Machu Picchu is that the Incas designed their buildings to resist the strong earthquakes, that would shake the city situated on top of two geological faults.

An ancient engineering technique called “tongue-and-groove” was used to cut rocks so that they fit perfectly without the need for mortar. During an earthquake, the stones “dance” in place and return to their original location once the earthquakes stop.

There are many other Inca sites in the surrounding area.

Yes, there are many other surprising Inca archaeological centers in the area.

Machu Picchu is located in the Urubamba Valley, also known as the “Sacred Valley of the Incas“, which concentrates numerous important archaeological sites. It is the place of a number of ruins, small towns and fascinating sites.

Organize a one-day excursion to the Sacred Valley from Cusco or Ollantaytambo and don’t forget to stop at the traditional market of Pisac, the fortress of Ollantaytambo, the circular terraces of Moray and the salt mines of Maras.

There are also a Secret Temple

If you are one of the lucky ones to climb Huayna Picchu, we recommend that you visit the Temple of the Moon. This wonderful hidden temple is one of the mysteries of Machu Picchu that you will not want to miss. It is located on the other side of the mountain. This kind of ceremonial temple is a cave with one of the best masonry works in the citadel. It is believed that it was a place of worship for the mummies.

Another is the Cave of the Sun tucked below Machu Picchu’s main site. The cave is believed to be a sacred space, once designed to make the most of the rising sun during the December solstice as part of the Incan wintertime ritual Capac Raymi.

The Museum at Machu Picchu

There is a museum known as the Museo de Sitio Manuel Chavez Ballon will fill in many of the blanks about how and why Machu Picchu was built, and why the Inca chose such an extraordinary natural location to build the citadel. Allow you to get the all necessary information you need to know about Machu Picchu. The museum is located at the end of a long dirt road near the base of Machu Picchu, about 30 minutes’ walk from the town of Aguas Calientes.

60% Of The Infrastructure is Underground

While tourists marvel at the impressive and beautiful feats of engineering, it’s estimated that 60% of the towns construction is underground. The Incas invested in deep building foundations and an extensive crushed rock drainage system to cope with the wet seasons weather.

Pilgrimage Route

One of the proposed theories suggests that the citadel of Machu Picchu may have been a journey for ceremonial purposes. Some scholars believe that the archaeological complex was an ancient pilgrimage route for the Inca nobility.

This theory gains more force when the different Inca Trails built are seen. Because instead of following the path along the banks of the Urubamba River, the Inca built a path surrounded by impressive scenery. According to some, this was the path that prepared the Inca to enter the Historic Sanctuary.