Machu Picchu Site

Machu Picchu Site is the icon of the Incas built in the region of Cusco in Peru: Find here information

Machu Picchu Site: Machupicchu is a Quechua (Inca language) word which means old peak or Old Mountain; it’s a 15th-century Inca archaeological site located 2,400 meters (7,970 ft) above sea level. The location of Machu Picchu is 112 km. northwest of the city of Cusco; It is located at 13 ° 9 ’47 “South latitude and 72 ° 32′ 44” W, in the province of Urubamba and Cusco region. The nearest major city is Cusco, the capital region and ancient capital of the Incas.

The mountains of Machupicchu and Huaynapicchu, are part of a larger formation known as orographic Vilcabamba Batholith, in the Central Cordillera of the Peruvian Andes. They are located on the left bank of the Urubamba Canyon, formerly known as Quebrada de Picchu.

At the bottom of the hills is the Vilcanota-Urubamba River. The Inca archaeological site is located halfway between the tops of two mountains, 450 meters above the valley. The floor area is approximately 530 meters long by 200 meters wide, with 172 buildings in its urban area. Biogeographically is in the Peruvian Yungas ecoregion.

Santuary of Machu Picchu

The Machupicchu Historic Sanctuary is spread over an area of 32,592 hectares, the sanctuary protects a number of biological species endangered in several Inca establishments, including Machupicchu which is considered primary.

Archaeologists have identified several distinct sectors that together comprise the city, including a farming zone, a residential neighborhood, a royal district and a sacred area. Machu Picchu’s most distinct and famous structures include the Temple of the Sun and the Intihuatana stone, a sculpted granite rock that is believed to have functioned as a solar clock or calendar.

The year at Machupicchu is divided between wet and dry seasons, with the majority of annual rain falling from October through to April. It can rain at any time of the year.

Machu Picchu & UNESCO

The great Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since its discovery in 1911, growing numbers of tourists have visited Machu Picchu, reaching 400,000 in 2000. As Peru’s most visited tourist attraction and major revenue generator, it is continually threatened by economic and commercial forces. In the late 1990s, the Peruvian government granted concessions to allow the construction of a cable car and development of a luxury hotel, including a tourist complex with boutiques and restaurants.

Many people protested against the plans, including members of the Peruvian public, international scientists, and academics, as they were worried that the greater numbers of visitors would pose a tremendous physical burden on the ruins. Many protested a plan to build a bridge to the site as well. A no-fly zone exists above the area. UNESCO is considering putting Machu Picchu on its List of World Heritage in Danger.

During the 1980s a large rock from Machu Picchu’s central plaza was moved out of its alignment to a different location to create a helicopter landing zone. Since the 1990s, the government has forbidden helicopter landings there. In 2006 a Cusco-based company, Helicusco, sought to have tourist flights over Machupicchu and initially received a license to do so, but the government quickly overturned the decision.

Browse Tour & Treks to Machu Picchu

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