Machu
Picchu is tangible evidence of the urban Inca Empire at the peak of its power
and achievement—a citadel of cut stone fit together without mortar so tightly
that its cracks still can’t be penetrated by a knife blade.
The
complex of palaces and plazas, temples and homes may have been built as a
ceremonial site, a military stronghold, or a retreat for ruling elites—its
dramatic location is certainly well suited for any of those purposes. The ruins
lie on a high ridge, surrounded on three sides by the windy, turbulent Urubamba
River some 2,000 feet (610 meters) below.
Scholars
are still striving to uncover clues to the mysteries hidden here high in the
eastern slopes of the Andes, covered with tropical forests of the upper Amazon
Basin. Machu Picchu appears to lie at the center of a network of related sites
and trails—and many landmarks both man-made and mountainous appear to align
with astronomical events like the solstice sunset. The Inca had no written
language, so they left no record of why they built the site or how they used it
before it was abandoned in the early 16th century.
Landscape
engineering skills are in strong evidence at Machu Picchu. The site’s
buildings, walls, terraces, and ramps reclaim the steep mountainous terrain and
make the city blend naturally into the rock escarpments on which it is
situated. The 700-plus terraces preserved soil, promoted agriculture, and
served as part of an extensive water-distribution system that conserved water
and limited erosion on the steep slopes.
The
Inca’s achievements and skills are all the more impressive in light of the
knowledge they lacked. When Machu Picchu was built some 500 years ago the Inca
had no iron, no steel, and no wheels. Their tremendous effort apparently
benefited relatively few people—some experts maintain that fewer than a
thousand individuals lived here.
In
1911 a Peruvian guide led Yale professor Hiram Bingham up a steep mountainside
and into the history books as the first Western scholar to lay eyes on the
“lost city” of Machu Picchu. While indigenous peoples knew of the site, Peru’s
Spanish conquerors never did—a fact which aided Machu Picchu’s isolation, and
preservation, over the centuries.
Today
Machu Picchu is far from isolated. In fact it’s a must-see for any visitor to
Peru and the draw that compels many to travel to that nation. Machu Picchu’s
management challenge is preservation of the site while making it accessible to
all those who hope to experience an incredible part of Inca history.
How to Get There
On
his first trip to the site Hiram Bingham walked for six days. Today many choose
to follow in his footsteps by hiking to the ruins on the legendary Inca Trail.
It’s an experience like no other, but one no longer necessary. Train trips from
Cusco take only a few hours.
When to Visit
Mountain
archaeologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Johan Reinhard
offered this tip on how to escape the crowds that typically fill the site by
midday. “I traditionally climb to the top of a nearby peak with a pack lunch
and wait till the crowds are gone,” he wrote in National Geographic Traveler.
How to Visit
For
the fit there is simply no substitute for traveling to Machu Picchu the way the
Inca themselves did—on foot. Today the Inca Trail winds through the mountains
and along the path of the ancient royal highway. More than 75,000 people make
the trip each year and along the way experience some of the associated sites
that were part of the Inca network in this area.
It’s
no longer possible to do the trek independently. Due to heavy use (and
subsequent environmental impact) the trail has become heavily regulated.
Visitors must sign up with an organized group to tackle either the classic
four-day route or a recently added two-day option.
