Machu Picchu, the historical site of Peru, is the true picture of ancient Inca culture and one of the most beloved visiting places for the visitors, both national and international. The marvelous beauty of ruins of Machu Picchu spell bound the visitors over a long period. Here are some facts about Machu Picchu.
1. Rediscovery
Hiram Bingham rediscovered the Machu Picchu in 1911 and found after inspection that these ruins of Machu Picchu belong to Inca Empire and was built in 1450 AD.
2. Location
The ruins of Machu Picchu are located in northwest of Cusco at a distance of 80 km from the main city and at an altitude of 2,430 meters that is the part of a mountain ridge, situated above the Urubamba Valley.
3. Structure of Machu Picchu
There are more than 150 ruins of buildings in Machu Picchu. These ruins are of houses, baths, sanctuaries and temples and one large compound with more than 100 stairs steps that reveal that Incas were great masons.
4. Dispute between Peru and Yale
After discovery of this “Hidden City”, Hiram Bingham took the samples of treasures, precious gem stones and human bones to Yale University for detailed inspection. However, these samples are still in the custody of Yale and this thing has created a dispute between Peru and Yale.
5. Present Importance
Today, Machu Picchu is not only a very famous tourist place, but also has the crown of one of the seven new wonders of world. Moreover, it became the UNISCO World Heritage in 1983.