Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Inca Empire and one of the greatest mysteries of the world. The combination of its beauty, history, and magic turned it in one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, since 1983.
Machu Picchu is one of the most magical places in Peru! These are some of the reasons that make it so fascinating:.
The heyday of the Inca empire
Between the buildings of Machu Picchu (credit: Patrícia Campos)
The first sight on the city of Machu Picchu is the confirmation of the grandiosity of the Inca Empire.
Machu Picchu is the symbol of the power and knowledge of the Inca civilisation, which extended its territory for 1,800,000 km² of extension, from Ecuador to Chile. Although the empire resisted merely around 100 years, they were one of the most powerful of Latin America.
The hidden mystery
Machu Picchu was only discovered in 1911 by the explorer Hiram Bingham (credit: Patrícia Campos)
How could History have erased this spectacular place? This is one of the biggest mysteries of Machu Picchu.
The arrival of the Spanish during the XVI century led to the fall of the Inca empire, leaving the city abandoned. Most likely, Spaniards knew about its existence but did not pay attention to it.
Although the local communities knew its existence, only in 1913 the world got to know about it, from National Geographic, after being discovered by the explorer Hiram Bingham, in 1911.
The extraordinary engineering
Machu Picchu is located in a zone of strong seismic activity (credit: Patrícia Campos)
Without tools, technologies and scientific studies the Incas built a large city, that still arouses the curiosity of many geologists, engineers, and architects. One of the extraordinary findings when visiting Machu Picchu is that the Incas were “supernatural”!
Machu Picchu is located on the top of an isthmus between two mountains and two geological faults, in a region that suffers constant earthquakes. The stone walls were perfectly cut, carved and aligned, and then placed overlapping, without the use of mortar or cement, resisting constant quakes. On the other hand, it is thought that the secret of the longevity of Machu Picchu lies in the system of sub-draining the waters. The more than 129 channels drilled in the rocks and the water sources allowed sustainable agricultural production and the maintenance of the constructions. Across the city, there are about 140 buildings, temples, shrines, squares, and residential cores.
Machu Picchu is the most successful civil engineering project in the history of civilisation.
Nature
The view above Machu Picchu (credit: Patrícia Campos)
Machu Picchu is fascinating not only because of its history and engineering but mainly for the beauty and magic of the place!
Machu Picchu is at the “end” of the world. Once the trip stars in Cusco, it’s easy to realise that it’s far, the accessibilities reduced, and nature may be the one reason that kept Machu Picchu hidden for so long.
First, the curves and counter-curves through winding roads around the Andes, then the train line is drawn on the banks of the Urubamba river runs old and worn tracks, and once reached the village of Aguas Calientes, the long trail to ascend to Machu Picchu (at 2,400 meters of altitude).
The feeling is that of exploring a place far away as if entering an adventure book!
It is thought that Pachacutec has decided to build in this site because of its exuberant environment surrounded by natural beauties and sacred mountains. Besides, the area gave him access to essential products that could only be reached in the jungle, such as coca.
I think Pachacutec felt in love with this place, as do I and the thousands of visitors who come to Machu Picchu. When we put ourselves in the centre of the city, or some of its cardinal points, the nature that surrounds the town makes the magic happen!
