Wonders of the World — Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a mysterious abandoned Inca city and the main attraction of Peru.
It is located on the top of a mountain at an altitude of 2400 meters above sea level.
The city was built in the XV century as the winter residence of the ruler of Pachacutec (1438-1470) and existed for about 100 years. After the death of Pachacutec, he lost his status. According to the documents found in the XVI century, the children of the noble Incas began to be sent here to study. The boys studied astronomy, the girls – weaving. According to another version, Machu Picchu had strategic military importance in wars with neighboring tribes. The exact reason why the city became uninhabited remains a mystery. There are no traces of war, epidemic or natural disaster here. Residents simply left the city.
One of the researchers believes that Machu Picchu was supplied with food from the capital of the empire - the city of Cuzco, located 100 km away. With the arrival of the Spaniards, supplies stopped, and residents were forced to leave in order not to starve to death. Local sources claim that 5,000 residents of Machu Picchu, who belonged to the common class, went to war with the conquerors, and 3,000 noble Incas, having collected treasures, retired to the legendary city of Vilcabamba.
Machu Picchu is not the biggest city, it has about 200 buildings, mainly temples, residential buildings and warehouses. Its main advantage as a historical landmark is that the city remained untouched until the beginning of the twentieth century. The conquistadors who plundered the empire simply did not know about its existence. The locals tried not to mention him in the presence of strangers. It was discovered in 1911 by Professor Hiram Bingham of Yale University by pure chance. However, about which one, they also tell in different ways.
According to one version, the pilots saw the city from the plane, and after that Professor Bingham went there accompanied by a government detachment and a boy guide.
According to another version, the professor met a boy with an unusual jug in his hands and asked where he got this thing from. The guileless child not only told the professor where he got his find, but also took him there. After that, as it usually happens, more than 4,000 artifacts were taken out of the city (for scientific purposes). After years of negotiations, almost 100 years after the opening of the city, they were returned to their historical homeland and are now on display in a museum in Cuzco.
Despite its relatively small size and short life, Machu Picchu amazes the imagination with the skill of builders. The city is built in such a way that it is not afraid of landslides or earthquakes. The granite blocks from which the houses of notable residents are built are polished and fitted with such precision that it is impossible to put a knife blade between them even now. So, despite not the most convenient location, it is definitely worth visiting the city. 100 million people who voted in 2007 to add Machu Picchu to the list of 7 New Wonders of the World agree with this. And since 1983 it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The name Machu Picchu in translation from the Quechua language means "Old Mountain". Behind him, on all the postcards with the image of the city, you can see another mountain peak. This is Vaina Picchu, a young mountain. There are also many residential buildings and temples on it, which are part of the Machu Picchu museum complex. However, it is more difficult to get there: firstly, climbing to the top is quite difficult and requires good physical fitness, and secondly, the flow of visitors is limited to 400 people per day.
Are you ready to go to another continent to see the mysterious Inca city?