
The Archeological Wonder of South America

Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru, on a 7,970 feet mountain ridge. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South America and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

The purpose of Machu Picchu remains a mystery, though it is believed to have been built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti. It was abandoned during the Spanish conquest and remained largely unknown to the outside world until 1911, when it was rediscovered by American historian Hiram Bingham.

















