Like many countries, Peru has a problem protecting its ancient sites. Historic ruins are often found right in the middle of big, modern cities. That’s not surprising. People decided to live there long ago for some of the same reasons people have lived there in modern times.
Maybe the site was near a lake or river for fresh drinking water and for irrigating crops. Maybe it was near the sea for fishing. Or perhaps it was near a trade route or harbor. It’s usually not hard to figure out. But that’s not the case for Machu Picchu.
Experts aren’t sure exactly why this city was built high in the Andes Mountains in 1450—or why it was abandoned 100 years later. Was it the home of an Incan emperor? Was it wiped out by disease?
Today, Machu Picchu (Old Peak) has hundreds of thousands of visitors. But it was lost for most of its history. The Spanish conquistadors never found it, even though they were just 50 miles away. Eventually, the jungle grew over the city. Only some local people knew it had existed. It’s no wonder. Look at one of the roads leading there. It looks like a strand of Silly String. Visitors have to travel that narrow, crazily snaking road even today!
It wasn’t until 1911 that the explorer Hiram Bingham rediscovered Machu Picchu and introduced it to the world. Now it is one of Peru’s national treasures.
People come to see:
Water management: Brooks are directed into the city. Roofs, streets, and channels are designed to manage the flow of torrential downpours during Peru’s rainy season. Channels fill fountains that are used for both ceremonies and as a place to fetch water for daily use.
Construction: The citadel had about 500 residents, but it probably took 2,000-3,000 workers to build Machu Picchu. Historians are amazed at the use of huge cut stones for walls and buildings. There are more than 3,000 stone stairs.
Terraces: To make the steep slopes usable for growing food, they were cut into flat ribbons that hug the shape of the hillsides. Stone walls keep the terraces from collapsing. They are still holding after hundreds of years.
