MACHU PICCHU
On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was named as one of the winners on the list of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

Location and Geography:
Machu Picchu, Quechua words which have the meaning "Old Mountain", was constructed during the middle of the XV century on the eastern slopes of the Central Andes of southern Peru. It forms part of the district of the same name, in the province of Urubamba, in the Region of Cusco, in Peru. Machu Picchu is at the same time considered to be a master work of architecture and engineering. The citadel is found in the middle of the Trail between the peaks of the mountains (Machi Picchu and Huayna Picchu), at 450m higher than the level of the valley. The constructed area is approximately 530m long. The ruins are inside an intangible area of the National System of Areas Protected by the State called the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu which extends over 32,592 hectares. Machu Picchu has been on the UNESCO list of the Patrimony of Humanity since 1983.

Altitude:
2400m

Access Ways:
There are two ways to approach the Machu Picchu ruins: First is by train, approximately 4 hours from the San Pedro station in Cusco to the Aguas Calientes station. From this point you take the bus to get to the ruins, about 20 minutes. Second is for the adventure lovers who take the Inca Trail.

History:
It was constructed around the XV century. The first to visit the archaeological ruins were Gavino Sanchez, Enrique Palma and Agustin Lizarraga, who engraved their names on the walls of the city on July 14, 1901. Existing evidence from the XVI century suggests that Machu Picchu was used as one of the residences of Pachacutec or Inca Yupanqui. Never the less, some of the major constructions and the evident ceremonial nature of the principal access route show that it was used as a religious sanctuary.

It is clear that Bingham did not discover Machu Picchu in the strict sense of the word. However, there is no doubt that he should be merited as the first person to recognize the importance of the ruins, studying them with a multidisciplinary team and popularizing their discoveries. It counts for a lot that the employed archaeological criteria were not the most adequate, as they reference its discovery as December 1911.

Culture and Traditions:
The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu is a protected area, well known for the presence of impressive Inca archaeological complexes, sites and archaeological monuments of incalculable historical and cultural value. In addition, the sanctuary exhibits an important environmental value, with forest zones, craggy peaks and snowcapped mountains. The terrain in dominated by abrupt relief and sheer mountainsides.

Within the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, there are numerous sites and archaeological monuments besides the citadel: Inca Raq'ay, Intiwatana, Intipata, Choquesuysuy, Chachabamba, Wiñaywayna, Phuyupatamarca, Sayacmarca, Runkuracay, Wayllabamba, Torontoy, Waynaqente, Machuqente, Q'ente, Qoriwayrachiwa, Pulpituyoc, Patallacta and Palccay. The sites and monuments are connected by complexes, striking irrigation systems, terraces for cultivation and paths which link them, all of which show the degree of development of the ancient Peruvians.


ATTRACTIONS - MACHUPICCHU
The complex is clearly divided into two large zones: the agricultural zone (formed by groups of terraces for cultivation), which is found in the south, and the urban zone (which is, of course, where the occupants lived and where the principal civil and religious activities took place). The two zones are separated by a wall, a ditch and a staircase, elements which run parallel to the east slope of the mountain.

AGRICULTURAL ZONE:
The andenes (terraces for cultivation) of Machu Picchu are exhibited like grand staircases constructed on the mountainside. The structures are formed by a stone wall and filler of different strata of materials (large stones, small stones, gravel, clay and topsoil). This facilitates drainage, avoiding the pooling of water (taking into consideration the large amount of rainfall in the area) and the crumbling of its structure. This type of construction permitted their cultivation since the first decade of the XX century. Other narrower terraces are found in the lower parts of Machu Picchu, surrounding the whole city. They did not serve an agricultural purpose, but rather served as containment walls.

Five large constructions are found upon the terraces to the east of the Inca Trail which approaches Machu Picchu from the south. They were used as storehouses, or colcas. Two other large groupings of terraces are found to the west of the trail: some concentric semicircles and others straight.


URBAN ZONE:
A 400m long wall divides the city from the agricultural area. Parallel to the wall runs a trench used as the principal drainage of the city. The gateway of Machu Picchu is at the top of the wall which relied on an internal closing mechanism.

The urban zone has been divided by modern archaeologists into groups of buildings denominated by the numbers 1 to 18. It follows an operational scheme, which divides it into a sector hanan (high) and hurin (low) according to the traditional division of society and the Andean hierarchy. The physical axis of this division is an elongated plaza, constructed on terraces of different levels according to the slope of the mountain.

The second axis of importance to the city forms a cross with the former, spanning practically the whole width of the ruins from east to west. It consists of two elements: a wide and long staircase which sometimes forms the "main street" and a group of elaborate fountains of water which run parallel to it.

In the intersection of the two there is the residence of the Inca, the Torreon temple-observatory and the first and most important of the fountains of water.

Sector Hanan:
Ensemble 1:
Ensemble 1 includes structures that have to do with the attention for those arriving at the city by the gateway, a place for the camelids, bedrooms, workshops and kitchens. The most important building has two floors and various entrances. To the left of the entrance trail there are bedrooms of lesser rank which were associated with the work in the quarries, located in the neighborhood of this sector. All the buildings are outfitted commonly and many of them were plastered and painted.

Temple of the Sun:
There is one double columned entryway, which is permanently closed (remains of a security mechanism). The main building is known as "Torreon" and is made of finely carved blocks. It was used for ceremonies related to the June solstice. One of its windows shows traces of having embedded ornaments which were removed at some point in Machu Picchu's history, destroying part of the structure. There are also marks from a large fire in the area. The Torreon is constructed on top of a large rock under which there is a small cave which has been completely lined with fine stones. It is believed that it was a mausoleum and that its large holes housed mummies.
It is speculated that there is evidence which affirms that it could be the mausoleum of Pachacutec and that his mummy was here.

Royal Residence:
Of the buildings designated for homes, this is the finest, largest and best allocated of Machu Picchu. It access door opens to on the first fountain of the city and, crossing the "street" formed by the grand staircase, the Temple of the Sun. It includes two bedrooms with large monolithic lintels and walls of well carved stone. One of these rooms has access to a service room with a drainage channel. The group includes a corral for camelids and a private terrace with a view of the east side of the city.

Sacred Plaza:
This is the name given to a group of constructions placed next to each other in a square courtyard. All the evidence indicated that the area was used for different rituals. It includes two of Machu Picchu's best buildings, which are made of large carved rocks: The Temple of the Three Windows (whose walls of large polygonal blocks were joined like a jigsaw puzzle) and the Main Temple (of more regular blocks) which are believed to have been the principal ceremonial compound of the city. Adjacent to the later is the so called "house of the priest" or "chamber of the ornaments". There is evidence that suggests that the construction of the religious complex was not completed.

Intihuatana:
It is on top of a hill whose flanks were converted into terraces, thus giving the form of a great polygonal-base pyramid.
It includes two large access staircases to the north and south, the later being especially interesting as a large stretch is made of only one rock. On top, surrounded by elite constructions, one finds the Intihuatana stone, one of the most studied objects of Machu Picchu. It has been connected to a series of places considered sacred; they have established clear alignments between astronomical events and the surrounding mountains.

Sector Urin:
Sacred Rock:
It is called as such because of a plain-faced stone laid on top of a large pedestal. There is a signpost which marks the extreme north of the city and it trailhead for the path up Huayna Picchu.

Group of the Three Portals:
It is a roomy group architecturally dominated by three large fields placed symmetrically and connected.
Its portals, heading to the principal plaza of Machu Picchu, include houses and workshops.

Group of the Mortars or Acllahuasi:
It is the largest group in the city. Of note is that it has only one entry door, something which could suggest that it was related to Acllahuasi (or house of the chosen women) of Machu Picchu, dedicated to the religious service and the fine arts. It includes a famous room of well carved stone in whose floor one finds two rocky outcroppings carved in the form of circular mortars supposedly for grinding grains. Some authorities think that these were filled with water to reflect the stars. The group includes evidence of a ritual use; there are alters and a field constructed surrounding a large rock. Part of its atmosphere shows that it was used as an elite residence.

Group of the Condor:
It is a large group of buildings, not always of regular plan, which conforms to the contours of the rocks.
Included are some caves with evidence of ritual use and a large carved rock in the center of a roomy courtyard in which many believe they can see the representation of a condor. To the south of the "condor" one finds elite dwellings, which had the sole private access to one of the fountains of Machu Picchu. Remains of buildings dedicated to the raising of cuy (guinea pig) have been identified between the dwellings and the courtyard of the condor.

Staircase of the Fountains:
It is a group formed by a grand staircase next to which runs a system of 16 artificial waterfalls, the majority of which are carefully carved into polygonial and round blocks of channels carved into the rock. The water comes from a spring on the heights of Machu Picchu Mountain which was canalized during Inca times. An additional system on top of the mountain collects runoff from the mountain and the runoff from the principal canal.


OTHER ATTRACTIONS:
The ecosystem in which Machu Picchu is found is one which is seen in the zones named "eyebrow of the jungle". It can be said with certainty that the biological diversity is the best which one can find in the bordering areas. The eyebrow of the jungle displays a large diversity of species of flora and fauna, which jointly with the mountain ecosystems of Machu Picchu make it an astounding place.

The diverse vegetal formations present in the sanctuary are fundamental components of unique ecosystems. The fact that one finds bamboos known as kurkur (Chusquea spp.) and pintoc (Arthrostilidium, aulonemia) determine the existence of birds such as the Inca wren (Thryothorus eisenmanni) and Parodi´s hemispingus (Hemispingus parodii) found exclusively in this and immediately surrounding areas. Other important formations in the sanctuary are the forests of quenuales (Polylepis besseri, P. microphylla, P. pepei, P. sericea, P. subsericans - rosaceae), which are the life source for endemic birds such as the Leptasthenura xenothorax - which does not have a population larger than 100 individuals - and the Anairetes alpinus. It is also possible to find here the cock -of -the -rock, the condor, various kinds of hummingbirds, Andean bear, otters, the wildcat, pumas, ocelots, as well as monkeys.

There are more than 30 genera and more than 90 species of orchids.

Weather:
Machu Picchu has a semi-tropical climate. Rainy season is from November to April. The average temperature is the capital is 12ºC, with a maximum of 18ºC and a minimum around 4ºC.

When to Travel:
The recommended months to visit Machu Picchu are the months of June to October because the weather is good during these months.