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Machu Picchu, nearly invisible from below, is tucked away on a hilltop between two Andean peaks. When it was discovered by Yale professor Hiram Bingham, in 1911, the site was buried beneath dense undergrowth.
The magnitude of Machu Picchu, one of the most popular of the Inca ruins, is intimidating when you first see it. Rising to a magnificent 12,000 feet, the temples, fields, terraces and baths appear to be part of the natural surroundings.The site was separated into three areas — agricultural, urban, and religious — and designed to take advantage of the terrain. It is believed the whole settlement was built, occupied and abandoned in the space of less than 100 years — 1435 and 1535 — and housed an estimated permanent population of 1,000 people living in the 200 structures appropriate for habitation. |