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{{Short description|15th-century Inca citadel in Peru}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox ancient site
| name = Machu Picchu
| native_name = {{lang|qu|Machu Picchu}}
| alternate_name = Machupicchu
| image = Machu Picchu, 2023 (012).jpg
| alt = Stone ruins of Machu Picchu set on a mountain ridge, with steep green peaks in the background.
| caption = Machu Picchu in 2023
| map_type = Peru#South America
| relief = yes
| map_alt = Map showing ___location of Machu Picchu in Peru
| mapframe-frame-width = 250
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-caption = Click on the map for a fullscreen view
| mapframe-zoom = 12
| mapframe-marker = landmark
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| coordinates = {{coord|13|09|48|S|72|32|44|W|display=inline,title}}
| ___location = [[Machupicchu District]], [[Urubamba Province|Urubamba]], [[Cusco Region|Cusco]], Peru
| region = [[Andes]]
| type = Settlement
| part_of =
| length =
| width =
| area =
| altitude_m = 2430
| builder =
| material =
| built = {{circa|1450|1470}}{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=27}}
| abandoned = {{circa|1532|1565}}{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=209}}{{sfn|Lumbreras|2020b|pp=193–232}}
| epochs =
| cultures = [[Inca civilization]]
| dependency_of =
| occupants =
| event =
| excavations =
| discovered = [[Agustín Lizárraga]] (1902)<br />[[Hiram Bingham III|Hiram Bingham]] (1911)
| condition = Preserved
| ownership = Peruvian Government
| management = [[Ministry of Culture (Peru)|Peruvian Ministry of Culture]]
| public_access = Yes
| website = {{URL|1=https://www.machupicchu.gob.pe/?lang=en|2=machupicchu.gob.pe}}
| notes =
| embedded =
{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
| child = yes
| Official_name = [[Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu]]
| ___location = [[List of World Heritage Sites in the Americas|Latin America and the Caribbean]]
| criteria = Mixed: i, iii, vii, ix
| ID = 274
| Area = {{Convert|38160.87|ha|abbr=on}}
| year = 1983
}}
}}
'''Machu Picchu'''{{efn|For most English or Spanish speakers, the first 'c' in ''Picchu'' is silent. In English, the name is pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˌ|m|ɑː|tʃ|uː|_|ˈ|p|iː|tʃ|uː}} {{respell|MAH|choo|_|PEE|choo}}<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Machu_Picchu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128211416/https://www.lexico.com/definition/machu_picchu |archive-date=28 January 2021 |title=Machu Picchu |dictionary=[[Lexico]] UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref><ref name=MW>{{MW|Machu Picchu||accessdate=2024-08-13}}</ref> or {{IPAc-en|ˌ|m|æ|tʃ|uː|_|ˈ|p|iː|k|tʃ|uː}} {{respell|MATCH|oo|_|PEEK|choo}},<ref name=MW/><ref>{{cite web | title = How to say: Machu Picchu | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/09/how_to_say_machu_picchu.html | website = BBC Blogs | publisher = BBC | date = 8 September 2006 | access-date = 2024-08-12}}</ref> in Spanish as {{IPA|es|ˈmatʃu ˈpitʃu|}} or {{IPA|es|ˈmatʃu ˈpiɣtʃu|}},<ref>{{cite web | title = Machu Picchu se escribe con doble «c» en «Picchu» | url = https://www.fundeu.es/recomendacion/machu-picchu-se-escribe-con-doble-c-en-picchu-999/ | website = [[FundéuRAE]] | date = August 2022 | access-date = 17 August 2024}}</ref> and in [[Cuzco Quechua language|Cuzco Quechua]] ({{lang|qu|Machu Pikchu}}) as {{IPA|qu|ˈmatʃu ˈpixtʃu|}}.{{sfn|Rufino|Alosilla|Choque|2014|p=70}}}} is a 15th-century [[Inca Empire|Inca]] [[citadel]] located in the [[Cordillera Oriental (Peru)|Eastern Cordillera]] of southern [[Peru]] on a mountain ridge at {{Convert|2430|m|ft|abbr=|sp=us}}. It is situated in the [[Machupicchu District]] of [[Urubamba Province]]<ref>{{cite web | title = Historic Sanctuary of Machupicchu | url = https://visitaareasnaturales.sernanp.gob.pe/en/anps/historic-sanctuary-of-machupicchu/ | website = [[National Service of Natural Protected Areas]] | date = 21 January 2022 | access-date = 2024-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250613042442/https://visitaareasnaturales.sernanp.gob.pe/en/anps/historic-sanctuary-of-machupicchu/ |archive-date= 2025-06-13 |url-status=live}}</ref> about {{Convert|80|km|mi|sp=us}} northwest of [[Cusco]], above the [[Sacred Valley]] and along the [[Urubamba River]], which forms a deep canyon with a subtropical mountain climate.{{sfn|Spizzichino|Masini|Lasaponara|Margottini|2022|pp=16-19}}
Often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas",<ref>{{cite web |title = Machu Picchu |url = https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/machu-picchu-mystery |website = [[National Geographic]] |first1 = Kelly |last1 = Hearn |first2 = Jason |last2 = Golomb |date = 21 January 2017 |access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref> Machu Picchu is one of the most iconic symbols of the [[Inca civilization]] and a major archaeological site in the Americas. Built around 1450, it is believed to have served as an estate for the Inca emperor [[Pachacuti]], though no contemporary written records exist to confirm this. The site was abandoned roughly a century later, likely during the [[Spanish conquest of Peru|Spanish conquest]]. Modern [[Radiocarbon dating#Accelerator mass spectrometry|radiocarbon dating]] places its occupation between {{circa}} 1420 and 1530.{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|Nesbitt|Washburn|2021}}
Machu Picchu was constructed in the [[Inca architecture|classical Inca style]], featuring finely crafted [[dry-stone wall]]s. Notable structures include the ''Temple of the Sun'', the ''Temple of the Three Windows'', and the ''[[Intihuatana, Urubamba|Intihuatana]]'' ritual stone. Although the site was known locally and reached in the early 20th century by Peruvian explorer [[Agustín Lizárraga]], it was brought to international attention in 1911 by American historian [[Hiram Bingham III]]. The original Inca name of the site may have been ''Huayna Picchu'', after the mountain on which part of the complex stands.{{sfn|Amado Gonzales|Bauer|2022}}
Designated a [[Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu|National Historic Sanctuary]] by Peru in 1981 and a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] in 1983, Machu Picchu was also named one of the [[New7Wonders of the World#Winners|New Seven Wonders of the World]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |agency=Associated Press | title=New Seven Wonders of the World chosen | website=NBC News | date=2007-07-07 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna19652635 | access-date=2025-07-24}}</ref> {{As of|2024}}, the site receives over 1.5 million visitors annually, making it Peru’s most visited international tourist destination.
==Etymology==
The site is on a narrow saddle between two mountain peaks, Machu Picchu and [[Huayna Picchu]]. In the [[Quechua language]], {{lang|qu|[[:wikt:machu#Quechua|machu]]}} means 'old' or 'old person' and {{lang|qu|[[:wikt:wayna#Quechua|wayna]]}} (spelled {{lang|es|huayna}} in standard [[Spanish orthography]]) means 'young', while {{lang|qu|[[:wikt:pikchu#Quechua|pikchu]]}} refers to a 'summit', 'peak', or 'pyramid'.{{sfn|Calvo Pérez|2022|pp=527, 739, 1271}}{{efn|{{lang|qu|Pikchu}} may also refer to a "portion of coca that is chewed".{{sfn|Calvo Pérez|2022|p=739}}}} Thus, the name of the site is often translated as 'old mountain' or 'old peak'.{{sfn|Luciano|2011|p=36}}
Although the original name given to the settlement by its builders is not definitively known, a 2021 study in ''[[Ñawpa Pacha]]: Journal of the Institute of Andean Studies'' suggests that the site was likely called "Huayna Picchu", after the [[Huayna Picchu|smaller peak nearby]], or simply "Picchu." According to the research, the association of the name Machu Picchu with the ruins likely began with American explorer [[Hiram Bingham III|Hiram Bingham]]'s 1911 publications, a conclusion supported by Bingham’s field notes, early maps, and historical documents.{{sfn|Amado Gonzales|Bauer|2022}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collyns |first=Dan |date=2022-03-23 |title=Machu Picchu: Inca site 'has gone by wrong name for over 100 years' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2022/mar/23/machu-picchu-inca-site-wrong-name |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref>
==History==
[[File:Machu Picchu.png|thumb|One of the first pictures of Machu Picchu, taken by [[Hiram Bingham III]] in 1912 after major clearing and before reconstruction work began]]
Machu Picchu was previously believed (by [[Richard L. Burger]], professor of [[anthropology]] at [[Yale University]]) to have been built in the 1450s.{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=27}} However, a 2021 study led by Burger used [[radiocarbon dating]] (specifically, [[accelerator mass spectrometry|AMS]]) to reveal that Machu Picchu may have been occupied from around 1420 to 1530 AD.{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|Nesbitt|Washburn|2021|p=1273}} Construction appears to date from two great Inca rulers, [[Pachacuti|Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui]] (1438–1471) and [[Topa Inca Yupanqui|Túpac Inca Yupanqui]] (1472–1493).{{sfn|Bastante|Fernández|2020a|pp=269-288}}{{sfn|Bingham|2003|pp=xxxvi}}
A consensus among archaeologists is that Pachacutec ordered the construction of the royal estate for his use as a retreat, most likely after a successful military campaign. Although Machu Picchu is considered to be a "royal" estate, it would not have been passed down in the line of [[order of succession|succession]]. Rather it was used for 80 years before being abandoned, seemingly because of the [[Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire|Spanish conquests]] in other parts of the [[Inca Empire]].{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=27}} It is possible that most of its inhabitants died from [[smallpox]] introduced by travelers before the Spanish [[conquistador]]s even arrived in the area.{{sfn|McNeill|2010|p=216}}
===Ancient life===
====Daily life in Machu Picchu====
[[File:Machu Picchu, Perú, 2015-07-30, DD 47.JPG|thumb|View of the ancient houses]]
During its use as an estate, it is estimated that about 750 people lived there, with most serving as support staff ({{lang|qu|[[Yanakuna|yanaconas]]}}){{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=24}}{{sfn|Turner|2010}} who lived there permanently. Though the estate belonged to Pachacutec, religious specialists and temporary specialized workers ({{lang|qu|mayocs}}) lived there as well, most likely for the ruler's well-being and enjoyment. During winter, which was usually the harsher season, staffing was reduced to a few hundred servants and a few religious specialists focused on maintenance alone.{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=86}}
Studies show that, according to their skeletal remains, most people who lived there were immigrants from diverse backgrounds. They lacked the chemical markers and [[Osteology|osteological]] markers they would have if they had been living there their entire lives. Instead, research into skeletal remains has found bone damage from various species of water [[Parasites of humans|parasites]] indigenous to different areas of Peru. There were also varying osteological stressors and varying chemical densities suggesting varying long-term diets characteristic of specific regions that were spaced apart.{{sfn|Turner|Armelagos|2012}} These diets are composed of varying levels of [[maize]], [[potato]]es, [[grain]]s, [[legume]]s, and [[fish]], but the last-known short-term diet for these people was overall composed of less fish and more corn. This suggests that several of the immigrants were from more coastal areas and moved to Machu Picchu, where corn was a larger portion of food intake.{{sfn|Turner|2010}} Most skeletal remains found at the site had lower levels of [[arthritis]] and [[bone fracture]]s than those found in most sites of the [[Inca Empire]]. Incan individuals who had arthritis and bone fractures were typically those who performed heavy physical labor (such as the [[Mit'a]]) or served in the [[Inca army|Inca military]].{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=88}}
Animals are also suspected to have been brought to Machu Picchu, as there were several bones found that were not native to the area. Most animal bones found were from [[llama]]s and [[alpaca]]s. These animals naturally live at altitudes of {{convert|4000|m|-3|sp=us}} rather than the {{convert|2400|m|-2|sp=us}} elevation of Machu Picchu. Most likely, these animals were brought in from the [[Puna grassland|Puna]] region for meat consumption and for their pelts.{{sfn|Morales|Barberena|Belardi|Borrero|2009}} [[Guinea pig]]s were also found at the site in special tomb caves, suggesting that they were at least used for funerary rituals,{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=94}} as it was common throughout the Inca Empire to use them for sacrifices and meat.{{sfn|Malpass|2009}} Six dogs were also recovered from the site. Due to their placements among the human remains, it is believed that they served as companions of the dead.{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=94}}
====Agricultural activity====
[[File:Andenes at Machu Picchu (cropped).jpg|thumb|{{lang|es|[[Andén|Andenes (terraces)]]}} used for [[farming]] at Machu Picchu|upright=1.2]]
Much of the [[Incan agriculture|farming]] done at Machu Picchu was done on its hundreds of {{lang|es|[[Andén|andenes]]}} (man-made terraces). These terraces were a work of considerable engineering, built to ensure good drainage and soil fertility while also protecting the mountain itself from erosion and landslides. However, the terraces were not perfect, as studies of the land show that there were landslides that happened during the construction of Machu Picchu. Still visible are places where the terraces were shifted by landslides and then stabilized by the Inca as they continued to build around the area.{{sfn|Brown|2001}} The terraces also enabled irrigation, increasing crop yields, with maize likely being the main crop due to its ceremonial importance, alongside possible cultivation of potatoes.{{sfn|Reinhard|2007|p=87-92}}
However, terrace farming area makes up only about {{cvt|12|acre|ha|disp=flip}} of land, and a study of the soil around the terraces showed that what was grown there was mostly corn and potatoes, which was not enough to support the 750+ people living at Machu Picchu. This explains why studies done on the food that the Inca ate at Machu Picchu suggest it was imported from the surrounding valleys and farther afield.{{sfn|Turner|Armelagos|2012}}
It is estimated that the area around the site has received more than {{cvt|1800|mm}} of rain per year since AD 1450, which was more than that needed to support crop growth. Because of the ample rainfall at Machu Picchu, it was found that [[Irrigation in Peru|irrigation]] was not usually needed for the terraces. The terraces received so much rain that they were built by [[Incan engineers]] specifically to allow for drainage of excess water. Excavation and soil analyses done by Kenneth Wright{{sfn|Weingardt|2008}}{{sfn|Brown|2001}} in the 1990s showed that the terraces were built in layers, with a bottom layer of larger stones covered by loose gravel.{{sfn|Brown|2001}} On top of the gravel was a layer of mixed sand and gravel packed together, with rich topsoil covering it. Research showed that the topsoil was probably moved from the valley floor to the terraces because it was much better than the soil higher up the mountain.{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=101}}
====Human sacrifice and mysticism====
Little information exists surrounding human sacrifices at Machu Picchu, though it is known that many sacrifices were never given a proper burial, and their skeletal remains succumbed to the elements.{{sfn|Gaither|Kent|Sanchez|Tham|2008}} However, there is evidence that retainers were sacrificed to accompany a deceased noble in the afterlife.{{sfn|Gaither|Kent|Sanchez|Tham|2008|pp=107, 119}} Animal, liquid and dirt sacrifices to the gods were more common and were made at the Altar of the Condor. The tradition is upheld by members of the [[Pachamama#New Age worship|New Age Andean religion]].{{sfn|Hill|2010|p=263}}
===Encounters with Westerners===
[[File:Machu Picchu and the Urubamba Canyon.jpg|thumb|Panoramic view of Machu Picchu and the Urubamba Canyon]]
====Spanish conquest====
In the late 16th century, Spaniards who had recently gained control of the area documented that indigenous individuals mentioned returning to "Huayna Picchu", the name that is believed to be originally given to the site by locals.{{sfn|Amado Gonzales|Bauer|2022}} The Spanish conquistador [[Baltasar de Ocampo]] had notes of a visit during the end of the 16th century to a mountain fortress called {{lang|es|Pitcos}} with sumptuous and majestic buildings, erected with great skill and art, all the [[lintels]] of the doors, as well the principal as the ordinary ones, being of marble and elaborately carved.{{sfn|De Ocampo|1999}}
Over the centuries, the surrounding jungle overgrew the site, and few outside the immediate area knew of its existence. The site may have been re-discovered and exploited in the late 19th century by the German engineer {{ill|Augusto Berns|de}}.{{sfn|Amado Gonzales|2022|pp=528-533}} Some suggest the German engineer J. M. von Hassel arrived earlier, though there's no solid evidence. Maps reference Machu Picchu as early as 1874, and a 1904 atlas labeled it as Huayna Picchu.{{sfn|Buck|1993}}{{sfn|Amado Gonzales|Bauer|2022}}
====Search for the Neo-Inca capital====
{{Multiple image
| image1 = Agustín Lizárraga signature on Temple of Three Windows of Machu Picchu enhanced.jpg
| image2 = Agustín Lizárraga signature on Temple of Three Windows of Machu Picchu enhanced (cropped).jpg
| footer = Inscription "[[Agustín Lizárraga|A. Lizárraga]] 1902" on the central window of the Temple of the Three Windows
| position = left
| total_width = 350
}}
In 1911 American historian and explorer [[Hiram Bingham III|Hiram Bingham]] traveled the region looking for the lost capital of the Neo-Inca state (later established to be [[Vilcabamba, Peru|Vilcabamba]]), established by [[Manco Inca]] after the Spanish conquest, and was led to Machu Picchu by a villager, Melchor Arteaga. Bingham found the name of the Peruvian explorer [[Agustín Lizárraga]] and the date 1902 written in charcoal on one of the walls of the Temple of the Three Windows. Initially disappointed, he documented in his pocket field journal: "Agustín Lizárraga is discoverer of Machu Picchu and lives at San Miguel Bridge just before passing."{{sfn|Heaney|2011|pp=83-96}}{{sfn|Bingham|1922|pp=219-226, 324}} However, while Bingham initially acknowledged Lizárraga as the discoverer in his early writings and speeches, including ''Inca Land'' (1922), he gradually downplayed Lizárraga's role until, in his final version of the story, ''Lost City of the Incas'' (1952), Bingham claimed to have found the site himself.{{sfn|Hall|2017|pp=16-17}} In a 1922 letter to the head of the school he had once attended in Honolulu, Bingham wrote:{{sfn|Bingham|1989|pp=25–26}}
{{Blockquote|text=I suppose that in the same sense of the word as it is used in the expression "Columbus discovered America" it is fair to say that I discovered Machu Picchu. The Norsemen and the French fishermen undoubtedly visited North America long before Columbus crossed the Atlantic. On the other hand it was Columbus who made America known to the civilized world. In the same sense of the word I "discovered" Machu Picchu—in that before my visit and report on it it was not known to the geographical and historical societies in Peru, nor to the Peruvian government.}}
Though Bingham was not the first to visit the ruins, he was considered the scientific discoverer who brought Machu Picchu to international attention. Bingham organized another expedition in 1912 to undertake major clearing and excavation.{{sfn|Bingham|2003|pp=xxx–xxxi}}{{sfn|Wiener|2008|pp=4-8}}
====1911 American Expedition====
[[File: Hiram Bingham III at his tent door near Machu Picchu in 1912.jpg|thumb|upright|right|[[Hiram Bingham III]] at his tent door near Machu Picchu in 1912]]
Bingham was a lecturer at [[Yale University]], although not a trained archaeologist. In 1909, returning from the Pan-American Scientific Congress in [[Santiago]], he travelled through Peru and was invited to explore the Inca ruins at [[Choquequirao|Choqquequirau]] in the [[Department of Apurímac|Apurímac Valley]]. He organized the 1911 Yale Peruvian Expedition in part to search for the Inca capital, which was thought to be the city of [[Vitcos]], reportedly located near the town of [[Torontoy (Peru)|Torontoy]].{{sfn|Bingham|1912|p=174}} He consulted Carlos Romero, one of the chief historians in Lima who showed him helpful references and Father [[Antonio de la Calancha]]'s {{lang|es|Corónica moralizada del Orden de San Agustín en el Perú}} (Chronicle of the [[Order of Saint Augustine|Augustinians]]), first published in 1631. In particular, Ramos thought Vitcos was "near a great white rock over a spring of fresh water." Back in Cusco again, Bingham asked planters about the places mentioned by Calancha, particularly along the Urubamba River. According to Bingham, "one old prospector said there were interesting ruins at Machu Picchu," though his statements "were given no importance by the leading citizens." Only later did Bingham learn that [[Charles Wiener]] had also heard of the ruins at [[Huayna Picchu]] and Machu Picchu, but was unable to reach them.{{sfn|Bingham|2003|pp=112-135}}{{sfn|Dearborn|White|1983}}
[[File: Melchor Arteaga crossing the Urubamba River on 24 July 1911.jpg|thumb|Melchor Arteaga crossing the Urubamba River on 24 July 1911]]
Armed with this information, Bingham's expedition went down the [[Urubamba River]]. En route, Bingham asked local people to show them Inca ruins, especially any place described as having a white rock over a spring.{{sfn|Bingham|2003|pp=137}}{{sfn|MacQuarrie|2012}}
At Mandor Pampa, Bingham asked farmer and innkeeper Melchor Arteaga if he knew of any nearby ruins. Arteaga said he knew of excellent ruins on the top of Huayna Picchu.{{sfn|Bingham|2010}} The next day, 24 July, Arteaga led Bingham and Sergeant Carrasco across the river on a log bridge and up to the Machu Picchu site. At the top of the mountain, they came across a small hut occupied by a couple of [[Quechua people|Quechua]] people, Richarte and Alvarez, who were farming some of the original Machu Picchu agricultural terraces that they had cleared four years earlier. Richarte's 11-year-old son, Pablito, led Bingham along the ridge to the main ruins.{{sfn|Wright|Valencia Zegarra|2004|p=1}}
[[File:Partial view of Machu Picchu in 1911.jpg|thumb|Partial view of Machu Picchu on 24 July 1911, with much of the site covered by dense vegetation.]]
The ruins were mostly covered with vegetation except for the cleared agricultural terraces and clearings used by the farmers as vegetable gardens. Because of the vegetation, Bingham was not able to observe the full extent of the site. He took preliminary notes, measurements, and photographs, noting the fine quality of Inca stonework of several principal buildings. Bingham was unsure about the original purpose of the ruins, but concluded there was no indication that it matched the description of Vitcos.{{sfn|Bingham|2003|pp=141, 186–187}}{{sfn|MacQuarrie|2012|p=255}}
The expedition continued down the Urubamba and up the Vilcabamba Rivers examining all the ruins they could find. Guided by locals, Bingham rediscovered and correctly identified the site of the old Inca capital, Vitcos (then called Rosaspata), and the nearby temple of [[Chuquipalta]]. He then crossed a pass and into the Pampaconas Valley where he found more ruins heavily buried in the jungle undergrowth at [[Espíritu Pampa]], which he named "Trombone Pampa".{{sfn|Geographical Society of Philadelphia|1912|pages=134–136}} As was the case with Machu Picchu, the site was so heavily overgrown that Bingham could only note a few of the buildings. In 1964, [[Gene Savoy]] further explored the ruins at Espiritu Pampa and revealed the full extent of the site, identifying it as [[Vilcabamba, Peru|Vilcabamba Viejo]], where the Incas fled after the Spanish drove them from Vitcos.{{sfn|Rodriguez-Camilloni|2009}}{{sfn|Bingham|2003|pp=xxxv}}{{sfn|Thomson|2010}}
[[File:Map of the Peruvian Expedition of 1912.jpg|thumb|Route map of the Peruvian Expedition of 1912]]
====Excavations and Controversy (1912–1915)====
Bingham returned to Machu Picchu in 1912 under the sponsorship of Yale University and the [[National Geographic Society]]. The expedition conducted site clearing and archaeological work between July and November of that year, under the supervision of George Eaton and Ellwood Erdis. These efforts included burnings, vegetation removal, mapping, and excavations, many of which were carried out with the assistance of local labor organized in part by Ángel Lizárraga, younger brother of Agustín Lizárraga. The work was supported logistically by regional authorities, including the Prefect of Cusco. Excavations resumed in 1914 and 1915 during a subsequent expedition. Although Bingham proposed several hypotheses regarding the purpose and significance of the site, none have been substantiated by later research. During the expeditions, numerous artifacts were recovered and transported to Yale University. Among these was a set of 15th-century ceremonial Incan knives made from [[bismuth bronze]], which are the earliest known artifacts to contain this alloy.{{sfn|Bastante|2020a|pp=25-39}}{{sfn|Gordon|Rutledge|1984|p=585}}
[[File:An Architectural Triumph Machu Picchu.jpg|thumb|The Sacred Plaza, the Main Temple, and the Temple of the Three Windows after the 1912 clearing work. Above these structures is the Sacred Hill, which features the [[Intihuatana, Urubamba|Intihuatana]].]]
Although local institutions initially welcomed the exploration, they soon accused Bingham of legal and cultural malpractice.{{sfn|Salvatore|2003}} Rumors arose that the team was stealing artifacts and smuggling them out of Peru through [[Bolivia]]. In fact, Bingham removed many artifacts, but openly and legally; they were deposited in the Yale University Museum. Bingham was abiding by the 1852 Civil Code of Peru; the code stated that "archaeological finds generally belonged to the discoverer, except when they had been discovered on private land".{{sfn|Batievsky|Velarde|2006|p=100}} Local press perpetuated the accusations, claiming that the excavation harmed the site and deprived local archaeologists of knowledge about their own history.{{sfn|Salvatore|2003}} Landowners began to demand rent from the excavators.{{sfn|Salvatore|2003}} By the time Bingham and his team left Machu Picchu, locals had formed coalitions to defend their ownership of Machu Picchu and its cultural remains, while Bingham claimed the artifacts ought to be studied by experts in American institutions.{{sfn|Salvatore|2003}}
==Current state==
===Preservation===
{{further|Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu}}
In 1981, Peru declared an area of {{convert|325.92|km2|2|abbr=out|sp=us}} surrounding Machu Picchu a "Historic Sanctuary".<ref>{{cite web | title = Santuario Histórico de Machupicchu | url = https://www.gob.pe/institucion/sernanp/informes-publicaciones/1793255-santuario-historico-de-machupicchu | website = Peruvian State Digital Platform | publisher = [[SERNANP]] | access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref> In addition to the ruins, the sanctuary includes a large portion of the adjoining region, rich with the [[flora]] and [[fauna]] of the [[Peruvian Yungas]] and [[Central Andean wet puna]] [[ecoregions]].{{sfn|Olson|Dinerstein|Wikramanayake|Burgess|2001}}
Beyond its historical significance, Machu Picchu houses a diverse range of species. Among them are the [[Culpeo|Andean fox]], [[Cougar|puma]], vizcacha, [[spectacled bear]], and white-tailed deer. The sanctuary is also habitat for more than 420 bird species, notably the [[cock-of-the-rock]] and the [[Andean condor]]. The area hosts over 550 tree species across 74 families, including ferns, gymnosperms, and palms.{{sfn|Ochoa|2020b}}
In 1983, UNESCO designated Machu Picchu a [[World Heritage Site]], describing it as "a masterpiece of art, urbanism, architecture and engineering" and "a unique testimony" of the Inca civilization, with the inscription covering both the archaeological complex and its surrounding landscape.<ref name="unesco">{{cite web | title = Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu |url = https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/274/ |website = UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher = UNESCO |access-date = 2024-08-12}}</ref>
===The modern town of Machu Picchu===
[[File:Aguas Calientes, Cuzco, Perú, 2015-07-30, DD 68.JPG|alt=Main Square of Aguas Calientes|thumb|Main Square of [[Aguas Calientes, Peru|Aguas Calientes]]]]
Along the Urubamba river, below the ruins, surrounding the train line "street", is the town of Machu Picchu, also known as [[Aguas Calientes, Peru|Aguas Calientes]] (hot springs), with a post office, a train station, hotels, and other services for the many tourists. The station, called {{lang|es|Puente Ruinas}} (bridge to the ruins) is the end of the line for the {{lang|es|tren de turismo}} (tourist train), which arrives every morning from Cusco and returns every afternoon. There is also a luxury hotel on the mountain, near the ruins.{{sfn|Eisenberg|1989}}
Machu Picchu is [[twin town|officially twinned]] with [[Haworth]], [[West Yorkshire]] in the United Kingdom,<ref>{{cite web | last=Wainwright | first=Martin | title=Brontë village to twin with Machu Picchu | website=The Guardian | date=2005-10-18 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/oct/18/britishidentity.martinwainwright | access-date=2024-08-21}}</ref> as well as [[Fukushima (city)|Fukushima]]<ref name=JapTimes>{{cite web|access-date=26 September 2022|date=28 October 2015|language=en|publisher=The Japan Times|title=Machu Picchu inks friendship pact with Fukushima village of Otama|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/10/28/national/machu-picchu-inks-friendship-pact-fukushima-village-otama/| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129231439/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/10/28/national/machu-picchu-inks-friendship-pact-fukushima-village-otama/|archive-date=29 Nov 2023|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Ōtama]], Japan,<ref name=Jap>{{cite web|access-date=26 September 2022|date=26 October 2015|publisher=Embajada del Japón en el Perú|title=Suscripción de Convenio de Hermanamiento entre las localidades de Otama y Machu Picchu Pueblo|url=https://www.pe.emb-japan.go.jp/esp/SuscripcionMachuPicchu.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129231344/https://www.pe.emb-japan.go.jp/esp/SuscripcionMachuPicchu.html |archive-date=2023-11-29|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Petra]], Jordan,<ref name="Machu Picchu-Petra">{{cite web | title=Gobiernos de Perú y Jordania firman acuerdo para promover intercambio cultural | website=[[Ministry of Culture (Peru)|Ministry of Culture]] | date=2018-03-11 | url=https://www.gob.pe/institucion/cultura/noticias/5142-gobiernos-de-peru-y-jordania-firman-acuerdo-para-promover-intercambio-cultural | language=es | access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref> [[Medley, Florida|Medley]], United States,<ref name="Miraflores-Medley">{{cite web|access-date=15 December 2022|date=15 May 2019|title=Oficio N° 001-2019-2020/LLR/DCR|url=https://www2.congreso.gob.pe/Sicr/MesaDirectiva/sipfr2011.nsf/308151CB8F663085052584540079BA2C/$FILE/LeonRomero_MAY2019.15.pdf|work=[[Congress of the Republic of Peru]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516184629/https://www2.congreso.gob.pe/Sicr/MesaDirectiva/sipfr2011.nsf/308151CB8F663085052584540079BA2C/%24FILE/LeonRomero_MAY2019.15.pdf|archive-date=2025-05-16|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Tinúm Municipality|Tinum]], Mexico.<ref>{{cite web | title=Maravillas del mundo moderno Machu Picchu y Chichén Itzá se hermanan | website=[[Andina (news agency)|Andina]] | date=2019-12-13 | url=https://andina.pe/ingles/noticia-maravillas-del-mundo-moderno-machu-picchu-y-chichen-itza-se-hermanan-778303.aspx | language=es | access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref>
===Tourist activity===
Machu Picchu is both a cultural and natural [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]]. Since Hiram Bingham's expedition, growing numbers of tourists have visited the site each year, with numbers exceeding 1.5 million in 2024.{{sfn|MINCETUR|2025|loc=Table No. 61}} As Peru's most visited tourist attraction, and a major revenue generator, it is continually exposed to economic and commercial forces. In the late 1990s, the Peruvian government granted concessions to allow the construction of a [[Cable car (railway)|cable car]] and a luxury hotel, including a tourist complex with boutiques and restaurants and a bridge to the site.<ref name="BBC1">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6292327.stm|title=Bridge stirs the waters in Machu Picchu|date=1 February 2007|access-date=7 June 2016 |work=BBC News Online}}</ref> These plans faced widespread protests, with critics arguing that the government had failed to conduct a proper environmental impact survey, as requested by the [[National Institute of Natural Resources]], which warned of potential harm to the ecosystem.{{sfn|Medrano|1998}} In 2018, plans were restarted to again construct a cable car to encourage Peruvians to visit Machu Picchu and boost domestic tourism.<ref>{{cite news | last=Sachs | first=Andrea | title=Peru devises new rules to tackle the mounting crowds on Machu Picchu | newspaper=Washington Post | date=2018-02-02 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/peru-devises-new-rules-to-tackle-the-mounting-crowds-on-machu-picchu/2018/02/02/7ac380d6-061b-11e8-8777-2a059f168dd2_story.html | access-date=2024-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Peru: Cable car system might increase tourist arrivals in Machu Picchu | website=Andina | date=2018-09-10 | url=https://andina.pe/agencia/noticia-peru-cable-car-system-might-increase-tourist-arrivals-in-machu-picchu-724703.aspx | language=es | access-date=2024-08-21}}</ref> A [[no-fly zone]] exists above the area.<ref name="ban">{{cite news|last=Collyns |first=Dan |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5326042.stm |title=Peru bans flights over Inca ruins |work=[[BBC News]] |date=8 September 2006 |access-date=24 August 2010}}</ref> [[UNESCO]] considered including Machu Picchu on its [[List of World Heritage in Danger]] in 2017, but ultimately decided against it.<ref>{{cite news | title = Machu Picchu airport: UNESCO demands answers from Peru government | url = https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/aug/09/machu-picchu-airport-unesco-demands-answers-from-peru-government | work = [[The Guardian]] | date = 9 August 2019 | access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = UNESCO not to include Peru's Machu Picchu in World Heritage in Danger list | url = https://andina.pe/ingles/noticia-unesco-not-to-include-perus-machu-picchu-in-world-heritage-in-danger-list-673883.aspx | website = [[Andina (news agency)|Andina]] | date = 30 June 2021 | access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref>
[[File:Machu Picchu Gate.jpg|thumb|Tourists at the main entrance to the Machu Picchu citadel]]
Efforts to manage the impact of tourism have included various measures over the years. In the 1980s, a rock from Machu Picchu's central plaza was moved to create a helicopter landing zone, a practice which was later stopped. In 2006, the company Helicusco sought approval for tourist flights over the site, but the license was soon rescinded.<ref name="ban"/> In January 2010, severe flooding caused by [[El Niño–Southern Oscillation|El Niño]] trapped over 4,000 people and disrupted access to Machu Picchu, leading to its temporary closure.<ref>{{cite news | title = 1400 tourists rescued amid Machu Picchu floods | url = https://www.france24.com/en/20100129-1400-tourists-rescued-amid-machu-picchu-floods | publisher = [[France 24]] | date = 29 January 2010 | access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref> The site reopened on April 1, 2010.<ref>{{cite web | title=Machu Picchu reopens after 2-month closure | website=NBC News | date=2010-04-01 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna36138915 | access-date=2024-08-21}}</ref> To further address tourism's impact, stricter entrance regulations were introduced in July 2011, limiting the number of daily visitors to 2,500 per day to the citadel and 400 to Huayna Picchu.<ref>{{cite web | title = Machu Picchu restricted to 2,500 visitors per day | url = https://andina.pe/agencia/noticia-machu-picchu-restricted-to-2500-visitors-per-day-369998.aspx | website = [[Andina (news agency)|Andina]] | date = 8 April 2011 | access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref> In 2018, a third entrance phase was added to better manage tourism and reduce site degradation.<ref>{{cite web | title = Peru: Everything you need to know about entrance times for Machu Picchu in 2019 | url = https://andina.pe/ingles/noticia-peru-everything-you-need-to-know-about-entrance-times-for-machu-picchu-in-2019-764846.aspx | website = [[Andina (news agency)|Andina]] | date = 7 June 2019 | access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref> In 2024, the daily visitor limit was officially increased to 4,500, with up to 5,600 permitted during peak season.<ref>{{cite news | title = Machu Picchu: Peru to dramatically increase number of tourists allowed to visit each day | url = https://news.sky.com/story/machu-picchu-peru-to-dramatically-increase-number-of-tourists-allowed-to-visit-attraction-each-day-13021637 | publisher = Sky News | date = 2024-06-27 | access-date = 2024-08-29 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Peru: Greater flow of tourists to Machu Picchu expected due to increased capacity | url = https://andina.pe/Ingles/noticia-peru-greater-flow-of-tourists-to-machu-picchu-expected-due-to-increased-capacity-985456.aspx | website = Andina | date = 2024-07-03 | access-date = 2024-08-29 }}</ref>
In May 2012, UNESCO urged additional protection measures for the site's buffer zone, especially due to the rapid growth in the nearby town of [[Aguas Calientes, Peru|Aguas Calientes]].<ref>{{cite news | title=UN fears spread of Machu Picchu town | work=[[SBS News]] | agency=Agence France-Presse | date=2012-05-28 | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/un-fears-spread-of-machu-picchu-town/l07jwsh36 | access-date=2024-08-22}}</ref> Tourist deaths at Machu Picchu from [[altitude sickness]], floods, and accidents have led to criticism of UNESCO for allowing visits despite the site's high safety risks.<ref>{{cite web | title=Retired merchant navy captain died on trip of a lifetime |last=Dixon |first=Hayley |website=The Telegraph | date=2013-08-21 | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/peru/10257308/Retired-merchant-navy-captain-died-on-trip-of-a-lifetime.html | access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Miller | first=Michael E. | title=German tourist falls to his death while posing for photo atop Machu Picchu | newspaper=Washington Post | date=2016-07-01 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/01/german-tourist-falls-to-his-death-while-trying-to-take-photo-atop-machu-picchu/ | access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Bates|first=Stephen|title=Stranded tourists await rescue from Machu Picchu|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jan/26/machu-picchu-flood-tourists|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=14 February 2014|date=26 January 2010}}</ref>{{sfn|Keough|2011}} The trend of [[Nude recreation|nude tourism]] in 2014 also led to increased surveillance by Peru's [[Ministry of Culture (Peru)|Ministry of Culture]] to end the practice.<ref>{{cite web|last=Liu|first=Evie|title=Peru to Tourists: 'Stop getting naked at Machu Picchu!'|url= http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/20/travel/naked-tourists-machu-picchu-peru/index.html?sr=tw032014picchunaked1030astory|publisher=[[CNN]]|access-date=20 March 2014|date=20 March 2014}}</ref>
In recognition of efforts to manage and protect the site, Fernando Astete, who served as Chief of the [[National Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu]] from 1994 to 2019, was honored with the "Personalidad Meritoria de la Cultura" award by the Ministry of Culture of Peru in January 2020. This award acknowledged his extensive contributions to the preservation, management, and study of Machu Picchu.<ref>{{cite web | title=Personajes distinguidos con la Personalidad Meritoria de la Cultura | website=[[El Peruano]] | date=2020-01-16 | url=https://elperuano.pe/noticia/88688-personajes-distinguidos-con-la-personalidad-meritoria-de-la-cultura | language=es | access-date=2024-08-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cdn.www.gob.pe/uploads/document/file/475314/RM_025-2020-MC_ACCESIBLE.pdf |title=Resolución Ministerial N° 025-2020-MC |date=2020-01-14 |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=[[Ministry of Culture (Peru)|Ministry of Culture]] |publication-place=Lima|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516132454/https://cdn.www.gob.pe/uploads/document/file/475314/RM_025-2020-MC_ACCESIBLE.pdf |archive-date=2025-05-16|url-status=live}}</ref>
During the [[2022–2023 Peruvian protests]], routes to Machu Picchu were blocked, trapping thousands of tourists and leading to a government airlift of the stranded visitors.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=2023-01-21 |title=Peru protests: Machu Picchu closed indefinitely and tourists stranded |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-64360531 |access-date=2023-02-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-12-20 |title=Tourists stuck in Machu Picchu due to Peru protests airlifted out |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-64037002 |access-date=2023-02-03}}</ref> Due to these disruptions, the Ministry of Culture closed the site indefinitely on January 22, 2023, and it was reopened on February 15, 2023.<ref name=":4" /><ref name="dw.com">{{Cite news |date=22 January 2023 |title=Peru: Government shuts Machu Picchu as protests continue |work=DW |url=https://www.dw.com/en/peru-government-shuts-machu-picchu-as-protests-continue/a-64477333 |access-date=22 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Machu Picchu reopens to tourists after closure over civil unrest | url = https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/machu-picchu-reopens-tourists-after-closure-over-civil-unrest-2023-02-15/ | publisher = [[Reuters]] | date = 15 February 2023 | access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref>
==Geography==
[[File:Peru - Machu Picchu 038 - lush, rugged valley (7367125008).jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Panoramic view of Machu Picchu from Machu Picchu mountain surrounded by the [[Urubamba River]]]]
Machu Picchu lies in the [[Southern Hemisphere]], 13.111 degrees south of the [[equator]].{{sfn|Wright| Valencia Zegarra|2004|p= ix}} It is {{convert|80|km|0|abbr=off|sp=us}} northwest of [[Cusco]], on the crest of the mountain Machu Picchu, located about {{convert|2430|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} [[above mean sea level]], over {{convert|1000|m|ft|sp=us}} lower than Cusco, which has an elevation of {{convert|3400|m|ft|abbr=|sp=us}}.{{sfn|Wright| Valencia Zegarra|2004|p= ix}} As such, it had a milder climate than the Inca capital. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in South America, one of the most visited tourist attractions in Latin America and the most visited in Peru.{{sfn|Davies|1997|p=163}}
Machu Picchu is situated above a bow of the [[Urubamba River]], which surrounds the site on three sides, where cliffs drop vertically for {{convert|450|m|ft|sp=us}} to the river at their base. The area is subject to morning mists rising from the river.{{sfn|Wright|Valencia Zegarra|2004|p=1}} When inhabited by the Incas, the ___location of the city was a military secret, and its deep precipices and steep mountains provided natural defenses. The [[Inca Bridge]], an [[Inca rope bridge|Inca grass rope bridge]], across the Urubamba River in the [[Pongo de Mainique]], provided a secret entrance for the Inca army. Another Inca bridge was built to the west of Machu Picchu, the tree-trunk bridge, at a ___location where a gap occurs in the cliff that measures {{convert|6|m|ft|sp=us}}.
[[File:99 - Machu Picchu - Juin 2009.edit3.jpg|thumb|Machu Picchu as seen from [[Wayna Picchu]]]]
The city sits in a saddle between the two mountains Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, with a view down two valleys and a nearly impassable mountain at its back.{{sfn|Wright| Valencia Zegarra|2004|p= 1}} The agricultural terraces, covering about {{Convert|4.9|ha|acre}}, complemented the site's architecture and protected against runoff and erosion. Constructed with stone retaining walls and well-drained topsoil, the terraces were built using deeper strata and stone chips to enhance drainage and ensure stability.{{sfn|Wright|Zegarra|Lorah|1999}} Two high-altitude routes from Machu Picchu cross the mountains back to Cusco, one through the [[Sun Gate]], and the other across the Inca bridge. Both could have been blocked easily, should invaders have approached along them.
Machu Picchu and other sites in the area are built over [[earthquake fault]]s. According to research conducted in 2019, this may not be a coincidence: "[o]ne simple answer, researchers now suggest, is that that's [earthquake faults] where building materials for the site—large amounts of already fractured rock—were readily available."<ref>{{cite web | title = Machu Picchu was built over major fault zones. Now, researchers think they know why | url = https://www.science.org/content/article/machu-picchu-was-built-over-major-fault-zones-now-researchers-think-they-know-why | last = Perkins | first = Sid | website = [[Science Magazine]] | publisher = [[American Association for the Advancement of Science ]] (AAAS) | date = 24 September 2019 | access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref>
===Climate===
Between the [[Sacred Valley|valley floor]] and the altitudinal zone of the Inca citadel, ranging from {{convert|2200|m|ft}} to {{convert|2500|m|ft}} meters above sea level, Machu Picchu features a [[subtropical highland climate]] (Köppen: [[Köppen climate classification#Cwb: Dry-winter subtropical highland climate|Cwb]], Trewartha: [[Trewartha climate classification#Group C: Subtropical climates|Cwll]]), with an average annual precipitation of {{convert|2010|mm|in}} and an annual mean temperature of approximately {{convert|18|C|F}}. The site is characterized by steep slopes, dense vegetation, and significant rainfall, contributing to high humidity levels of 80–90%. The area is also frequently enveloped in [[cloud cover]], typical of a [[cloud forest]] environment.{{sfn|SERNANP|DCC|2015|pp=19-24}}
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|___location = Machu Picchu (elevation {{convert|2399|m|ft|abbr=on}}, 1991–2020 normals)
|Jan high C = 20.6
|Feb high C = 20.6
|Mar high C = 21.0
|Apr high C = 21.5
|May high C = 21.9
|Jun high C = 22.0
|Jul high C = 22.1
|Aug high C = 23.1
|Sep high C = 23.4
|Oct high C = 22.8
|Nov high C = 22.8
|Dec high C = 21.2
|year high C =
|Jan low C = 11.8
|Feb low C = 11.9
|Mar low C = 11.9
|Apr low C = 11.7
|May low C = 10.8
|Jun low C = 10.0
|Jul low C = 9.4
|Aug low C = 10.0
|Sep low C = 11.1
|Oct low C = 11.5
|Nov low C = 12.0
|Dec low C = 12.0
|year low C =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 340.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 324.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 340.6
|Apr precipitation mm = 184.1
|May precipitation mm = 73.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 50.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 54.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 60.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 76.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 163.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 172.5
|Dec precipitation mm = 275.4
|year precipitation mm =
|source 1 = National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru<ref name = SENAMHI>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230821192714/https://www.senamhi.gob.pe/?p=normales-estaciones
| archive-date = 21 August 2023
| url = https://www.senamhi.gob.pe/?p=normales-estaciones
| title = Normales Climaticás Estándares y Medias 1991–2020
| publisher=[[National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru]]
| access-date = 22 August 2023
| url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
==Site==
===Layout===
[[File:Karta MachuPicchu.svg|thumb|Layout of Machu Picchu’s urban, agricultural and religious zones|upright=1.2]]
The site is roughly divided into an urban sector and an agricultural sector, with the former divided between an upper town and a lower town. The temples are in the upper town, the warehouses in the lower.<ref>{{cite magazine | last = Bordewich | first = Fergus | author-link = Fergus Bordewich | title = Winter Palace | journal = [[Smithsonian Magazine]] | date = March 2003 | page = 110 | url = https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/winter-palace-77490707/ | access-date = 2024-08-12 }}</ref>
The architecture is adapted to the mountains. Approximately 200 buildings are arranged on wide parallel terraces around an east–west central square. The various compounds, called {{lang|qu|[[Inca kancha|kanchas]]}}, are long and narrow in order to exploit the terrain. Sophisticated channeling systems provided irrigation for the fields. Stone stairways set in the walls allowed access to the different levels across the site. The eastern section of the city was probably residential. The western, separated by the square, was for religious and ceremonial purposes. This section contains the {{lang|es|Torreón}}, the massive tower which may have been used as an [[observatory]].{{sfn|Longhena|Alva|2007|p=252}}
Located in the urban sector are the primary archaeological treasures and tourist attractions: the ''[[Intihuatana, Urubamba|Intihuatana]]'', the ''Temple of the Sun'' and the ''Temple of the Three Windows''.{{sfn|Millones|2020a|p=67}}
The Popular District, or Residential District, is the place where the lower-class people lived. It includes storage buildings and simple houses.{{sfn|Astete|Bastante|2020b|p=226}}
The royalty area, a sector for the [[nobility]], is a group of houses located in rows over a slope; the residence of the {{lang|qu|[[amautas]]}} (wise people) was characterized by its reddish walls, and the zone of the {{lang|qu|[[ñustas]]}} (princesses) had [[trapezoid]]-shaped rooms. The Monumental Mausoleum is a carved statue with a vaulted interior and carved drawings. It was used for rites or sacrifices.
The Guardhouse is a three-sided building, with one of its long sides opening onto the Terrace of the Ceremonial Rock. The three-sided style of Inca architecture is known as the {{lang|qu|wayrona}} style.{{sfn|Wright| Valencia Zegarra|2004|p= 8}}
In 2005 and 2009, the [[University of Arkansas]] made detailed [[3d laser scanning|laser scans]] of the entire site and of the ruins at the top of the adjacent Huayna Picchu mountain. The scan data is available online for research purposes.<ref>{{cite web | title = Computer Modeling of Heritage Resources | url = http://cast.uark.edu/home/education/field-programs/geomatics-for-archaeology-field-school.html | website = Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies | publisher = University of Arkansas | access-date = 2024-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415000022/http://cast.uark.edu/home/education/field-programs/geomatics-for-archaeology-field-school.html |archive-date=2010-04-15 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Sites of interest===
====Temple of the Sun or Torreón====
[[File: Machupicchu intihuatana.JPG|thumb|Temple of the Sun or Torreon|upright=1.2]]This semicircular temple is built on the same rock overlying Bingham's "Royal Mausoleum", and is similar to the [[Coricancha#Inca Astronomy|Temple of the Sun]] found in Cusco and the one found in [[Inca complex at Písac|Pisac]], in having what Bingham described as a "[[Parabola|parabolic]] enclosure wall". The stonework is of [[ashlar]] quality. Within the temple is a 1.2 m by 2.7 m rock platform, smooth on top except for a small platform on its southwest quadrant. A "Serpent's Door" faces 340°, or just west of north, opening onto a series of 16 pools, and affording a view of Huayna Picchu. The temple also has two [[trapezoidal]] windows, one facing 65°, called the "Solstice Window", and the other facing 132°, called the "[[Qullqa]] Window". The northwest edge of the rock platform points out the Solstice Window to within 2' of the 15th century [[June solstice]] rising Sun. For comparison, the [[angular diameter]] of the Sun is 32'. The [[Constellation#Dark cloud constellations|Inca constellation]] Qullca, storehouse, can be viewed out the Qullqa Window at sunset during the 15th-century June Solstice, hence the window's name. At the same time, the [[Pleaides]] are at the opposite end of the sky. Also seen through this window on this night are the constellations Llamacnawin, Llama, Unallamacha, Machacuay, and the star Pachapacariq Chaska ([[Canopus]]).{{sfn|Dearborn|White|1983}}{{sfn|Krupp|1994|pages=47–51}}
====Intihuatana stone====
[[File: 143 Intiwatana Machu Picchu Peru 2406 (14977268637).jpg|thumb|right|The ''Intihuatana'' stone aligns with solar events and sacred mountains; its function as a solar calendar remains debated.|upright=1.2]]
[[File:90 - Machu Picchu - Juin 2009 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Rock-carved "mortars" in the {{lang|es|Sala de los Morteros}}. Once proposed as water mirrors for astronomical use, recent studies cast doubt on any calendrical function, and their original purpose remains uncertain.{{sfn|Ziółkowski|Kościuk|2022}}|upright=1.2]]
{{main|Intihuatana, Urubamba}}
The ''Intihuatana'' stone is a [[ritual]] stone which was used by the Incas. The stone is designed to point directly at the Sun during the winter [[solstice]].{{sfn|Amao|2012|p=78}} The name of the stone, likely attributed by Bingham due to a similar monument in Pisac, comes from [[Quechuan languages|Quechua]] and means "place where the sun is tied." While its exact function is debated, scholars generally reject the popular idea that it served as a solar calendar [[gnomon]]. Instead, it may have been used for horizontal solar observations and was aligned with sacred mountains and cardinal directions.{{sfn|Ziółkowski|Kościuk|2022|pp=193-195}} The stone is situated at 13°9'48" S. At midday on 11 November and 30 January, the Sun is situated almost exactly above the pillar, casting no shadow. On 21 June, the stone casts the longest shadow on its southern side, and on 21 December a much shorter shadow on its northern side.{{sfn|Dolan|2021|pp=295–336}} Its placement may have held symbolic significance within a sacred landscape, aligning with prominent surrounding peaks such as [[Veronica (mountain)|Veronica]], [[Salcantay]], and Huayna Picchu.{{sfn|Reinhard|2007|pp=63-66}}
====Inti Mach'ay and the Royal Feast of the Sun====
Inti Mach'ay is a special cave used to observe the Royal Feast of the Sun. This festival was celebrated during the Incan month of {{lang|qu|Qhapaq Raymi}}. It began earlier in the month and concluded on the December solstice. On this day, noble boys were initiated into manhood by an ear-piercing ritual as they stood inside the cave and watched the sunrise.{{sfn|Dearborn|Schreiber|White|1987|p=346}}
Architecturally, Inti Mach'ay is often considered to be the most significant structure at Machu Picchu. Its entrances, walls, steps, and windows are some of the finest masonry in the Incan Empire. The cave also includes a tunnel-like window unique among Incan structures, which was constructed to allow sunlight into the cave only during several days around the December solstice. For this reason, the cave was inaccessible for much of the year.{{sfn|Dearborn|Schreiber|White|1987|pp=349–51}} Inti Mach'ay is located on the eastern side of Machu Picchu, just north of the "Condor Stone." Many of the caves surrounding this area were prehistorically used as tombs, yet there is no evidence that Mach'ay was a burial ground.{{sfn|Dearborn|Schreiber|White|1987|p=349.}}
====Temple of the Three Windows====
[[File:Room of the Three Windows - Machu Picchu.jpg|thumb|Trapezoidal windows of the Temple of the Three Windows|upright=1.2]]
The Temple of the Three Windows stands on the eastern side of the {{lang|es|Plaza Sagrada}}, a 16 m × 16 m terrace at the heart of Machu Picchu’s urban sector.{{sfn|Millones|2020a|p=67}} Its single trapezoidal wall is constructed of large, finely worked white granite blocks whose joints display helical planes unique in the site’s masonry.{{sfn|Astete|2012|pp=35-37}}
This wall contains three oversized trapezoidal openings—dintels and jambs each carved from single stones—flanked by two smaller niches. Four terraces at the base of the wall retain the platform on its exterior face.{{sfn|Millones|2020a|p=67}}
From within the temple one can observe both sunrise and sunset across the ruins and surrounding mountains.{{sfn|Millones|2020a|p=74}} Evidence suggests it was originally roofed by a three‑wall timber truss system resting on wooden beams and pilasters set into side pockets in the masonry.{{sfn|Puelles|2020a|p=430-431}}
During his 1911 visit, Hiram Bingham recorded a charcoal inscription on the central window reading “Lizárraga 1902,” left by Agustín Lizárraga. The graffiti appears in Bingham’s early photographs, published in ''[[The Geographical Journal]]'' (December 1911) and ''[[National Geographic Magazine]]'' (April 1912), indicating prior local knowledge and clearing of the site.{{sfn|Bastante|2020a|p=31}}
====Dispute over cultural artifacts====
{{Main|Peru–Yale University dispute}}
[[File:LA EXPOSICIÓN “MACHU PICCHU 100 AÑOS DESPUÉS- EL REENCUENTRO” EXHIBE ARÍBALOS Y CUENCOS DEVUELTOS AL PERÚ POR LA UNIVERSIDAD DE YALE (5592558910).jpg|thumb|[[Inca Empire#Ceramics, precious metals and textiles|Aryballos and bowls]] returned by [[Yale University]] in 2011]]
In 1912, 1914 and 1915, Bingham removed thousands of artifacts from Machu Picchu—ceramic vessels, silver statues, jewelry, and human bones—and took them to Yale University for further study, supposedly for 18 months. Yale instead kept the artifacts until 2012, arguing that Peru lacked the infrastructure and systems to care for them. [[Eliane Karp]], an anthropologist and wife of former Peruvian President [[Alejandro Toledo]], accused Yale of profiting from Peru's cultural heritage. Many of the articles were exhibited at Yale's [[Peabody Museum of Natural History|Peabody Museum]].{{sfn|Swanson|2009}}
In 2006, Yale returned some pieces but retained more than 250 "museum-quality" pieces, claiming this was supported by federal case law of Peruvian antiquities.<ref>{{cite news |first=Kim |last=Martineau |date=14 March 2006 |title=Peru Presses Yale on Relics |url=https://www.courant.com/2006/03/14/peru-presses-yale-on-relics/ |work=[[Hartford Courant]]}}</ref> In 2007, the Peruvian government and Yale had agreed on a joint traveling exhibition and construction of a new museum and research center in Cusco advised by Yale. Yale acknowledged Peru's title to all the objects, but would share rights with Peru in the research collection, part of which would remain at Yale for continuing study.<ref>{{cite news |first=Edmund H. |last=Mahony |date=16 September 2007 |title=Yale To Return Incan Artifacts |url=https://www.courant.com/2007/09/16/yale-to-return-incan-artifacts/ |work=Hartford Courant}}</ref> In November 2010, Yale agreed to return the disputed artifacts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/11/20/peru.yale.artifacts/index.html?hpt=T2|title=Peru's president: Yale agrees to return Incan artifacts|publisher=[[CNN]] | date=20 November 2010}}</ref> The third and final batch of artifacts was delivered in November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last=Zorthian|first=Julia|title=Yale returns final Machu Picchu artifacts|url=http://yaledailynews.com/crosscampus/2012/11/12/yale-returns-final-machu-picchu-artifacts/|work=Yale Daily News|date=13 November 2012|publisher=Yale University|access-date=24 February 2013}}</ref> The artifacts are permanently exhibited at the [[Casa Concha|Machu Picchu Museum]]–{{lang|es|Casa Concha}}, located near Cusco's colonial center and owned by the [[National University of Saint Anthony the Abbot in Cuzco|National University of San Antonio Abad del Cusco]].{{sfn|Bastante|2020a|pp=39-42, 54}}
===Construction===
{{Main|Incan architecture}}
[[File:MachuPicchu Residential (pixinn.net).jpg|thumb|View of the residential section of Machu Picchu]]
[[File:Funerary Stone in Machu Picchu.jpg|thumb|Funerary Stone in upper cemetery]]
The central buildings in the Machu Picchu citadel use the classical Inca architectural style of polished [[Dry stone|dry-stone]] walls of regular shape. The Incas were masters of this technique, called ashlar, in which blocks of stone are cut to fit together tightly without [[mortar (masonry)|mortar]].
The site may have been intentionally built on fault lines to provide natural drainage and a source of fractured stone for construction. According to geologist Rualdo Menegat, Machu Picchu "shows us that the Incan civilization was an empire of fractured rocks."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geosociety.org/GSA/News/pr/2019/19-38.aspx|title=Machu Picchu: Ancient Incan Sanctuary Intentionally Built on Faults |website=[[Geological Society of America]] |date=22 September 2019|access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref>
The section of the mountain where Machu Picchu was built provided various challenges that the Incas solved with local materials. One issue was the seismic activity due to two fault lines which made mortar and similar building methods nearly useless. Instead, the Inca mined stones from some quarries at the site,{{sfn|Tripcevich|Vaughn|2012|p=52}} including one recently discovered using remote sensing techniques, which was probably located in the catchment area between the [[Government_of_the_Inca_Empire#Hurin_Suyukuna,_or_the_Lower_Quarters|Hurin]] and [[Government_of_the_Inca_Empire#Hanan_Suyukuna,_or_the_Upper_Quarters|Hanan]] before it was covered over to create the current Plaza Principal.{{sfn|Masini|Romano|Sieczkowska|2023}} Once mined, the Inca lined the granite stones up and shaped them to fit together perfectly, stabilizing the structures. Inca walls have many stabilizing features: doors and windows are trapezoidal, narrowing from bottom to top; corners usually are rounded; inside corners often incline slightly into the rooms, and outside corners were often tied together by L-shaped blocks; walls are offset slightly from row to row rather than rising straight from bottom to top.{{sfn|Astete|2020a|pp=313-326}}
Heavy rainfall required terraces to drain rain water and prevent mudslides, landslides, erosion, and flooding. Terraces were layered with stone chips, sand, dirt, and topsoil, to absorb water and prevent it from running down the mountain. Similar layering protected the large city center from flooding.{{sfn|Wright|Valencia Zegarra|2000}} Multiple canals and reserves throughout the city provided water that could be supplied to the terraces for irrigation and to prevent erosion and flooding.{{sfn|Reinhard|2007|p=87-92}}
The approach to moving and placing the enormous stones remains uncertain, probably involving hundreds of men to push the stones up inclines. A few stones have knobs that could have been used to lever them into position; the knobs were generally sanded away, with a few overlooked.{{sfn|Puelles|2020a|pp=417-418}} For larger stones, the Incas likely employed ramps with gentle inclines, along with wooden rollers, levers, and ropes made from [[Furcraea andina|maguey]] fibers. Most stones were moved from higher to lower elevations, but some, like those at [[Ollantaytambo]], were transported over long distances.{{sfn|Puelles|2020a|pp=417-418}}
===Transportation===
The [[Inca road system]] included a route to the Machu Picchu region. The people of Machu Picchu were connected to long-distance trade, as shown by non-local artifacts found at the site. For example, Bingham found unmodified [[obsidian]] nodules at the entrance gateway. In the 1970s, [[Richard L. Burger|Burger]] and Asaro determined that these obsidian samples were from the [[Lake Titicaca|Titicaca]] or [[Chivay obsidian source]], and that the samples from Machu Picchu showed long-distance transport of this obsidian type in pre-Hispanic Peru.{{sfn|Burger|Salazar|2004|p=97}}
[[File:218 View from Inca Trail to Sun Gate Machu Picchu Peru 2486 (14977553069).jpg|thumb|View of Machu Picchu arriving from the [[Inca Trail to Machu Picchu|Inca Trail]]]]
Today, visitors can reach Machu Picchu via three main routes. The most popular option is the train journey from Cusco or [[Ollantaytambo]]. Operated by [[PeruRail]] and [[Inca Rail]], this scenic route takes visitors to the town of [[Aguas Calientes, Peru|Aguas Calientes]], from where they can take a bus ride of {{Convert|8.6|km|mi}} or walk to the Machu Picchu entrance.{{sfn|SERNANP|DCC|2015|p=94}}
Another widely chosen route is the [[Inca Trail to Machu Picchu|Inca Trail]], a historic path built by the Incas considered "the most famous hike in South America" by [[Lonely Planet]],{{sfn|Sainsbury|Egerton|Johanson|McCarthy|2021}} attracting thousands of tourists each year.{{sfn|MINCETUR|2025|loc=Table No. 63-65}}
The trail begins at either {{lang|es|Piscacucho}} (Km 82 on the railway to Aguas Calientes) or {{lang|qu|Q'oriwayrachina}} (Km 104), and, depending on the starting point, spans up to approximately {{Convert|42.5|km|mi}}, reaching an altitude of {{Convert|4200|m|ft}} at [[Warmi Wañusqa]]. It passes through the [[Andes]] and various archaeological sites before reaching the {{lang|qu|[[Inti Punku]]}} (Sun Gate) at Machu Picchu. Due to limited permits, advance booking through a tourism agency is required.{{sfn|Huamán et al.|2020|pp=109-115}}<ref>{{cite web | title=Mapa Turístico Santuario Histórico de Machu Picchu |trans-title=Tourist Map of the Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu | url=https://visitaareasnaturales.sernanp.gob.pe/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Mapa_SH-MACHUPICCHU-comprimido.pdf | access-date=2025-08-01 |publisher=[[SERNANP]]}}</ref>
Alternatively, travelers can take a less conventional route that involves traveling by road to a point near the [[Hydroelectric Station (train station)|Hydroelectric station]]. From there, they can either walk or take a short train ride to Aguas Calientes.{{sfn|SERNANP|DCC|2015|p=86}} This option is generally more affordable and does not require advance booking, but it is less recommended during the rainy season due to potential landslide risks.<ref>{{cite web | last=Collyns | first=Dan | title=Bridge stirs the waters in Machu Picchu | website=BBC News | date=2007-02-01 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6292327.stm | access-date=2024-08-21}}</ref>
As of November 2024, the construction of a new paved roadway right to the doorstep of the historic site is in progress and due for completion in 2025. The path, otherwise known as Santa María-Santa Teresa-Machu Picchu Hydroelectric Bridge highway, involves 28.41 kilometers (22 miles) of asphalt-paved roads that would generally reduce access time to the heritage site from 4 or 5 hours, to 2 hours.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Road Project to Improve Access to Peru's Machu Picchu Site |url=https://www.enr.com/articles/58619-road-project-to-improve-access-to-perus-machu-picchu-site |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=[[Engineering News-Record]] |language=en}}</ref>
==In popular culture==
Machu Picchu has appeared in several films, television programmes and music productions. The [[Paramount Pictures]] film ''[[Secret of the Incas]]'' (1954), starring [[Charlton Heston]] and [[Yma Sumac]], was filmed on ___location at Machu Picchu and Cusco, marking the first time a major Hollywood studio shot on site.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brownell |first1=William H. Jr. |title=Hollywood Digest: On the Trail of 'Legend of the Inca' Through Peruvian Andes |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 12, 1953 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/07/12/archives/hollywood-digest-on-the-trail-of-legend-of-the-inca-through.html |id={{ProQuest|112572771}}}}</ref> Werner Herzog’s drama ''[[Aguirre, the Wrath of God]]'' (1972) opens with scenes shot in the Machu Picchu area and on the stone stairway of Huayna Picchu.{{sfn|Herzog|Cronin|2002}} The site features prominently in the biopic ''[[The Motorcycle Diaries (film)|The Motorcycle Diaries]]'' (2004), based on [[Che Guevara]]’s 1952 [[The Motorcycle Diaries (book)|travel memoir]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Adibfar |first1=Leili |title=The Motorcycle Diaries: Book (1993) and Film (2004) |website=Ancient Americas Appropriated |url=https://aaa.digital.uic.edu/s/ancientamericasappropriated/page/the-motorcycle-diaries-book-1993-and-film-2004 |access-date=2024-08-12}}</ref> and in the [[Nova (American TV program)|NOVA]] television documentary "Ghosts of Machu Picchu".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bredar |first1=John |last2=Lewis |first2=Susan K. |title=Ghosts of Machu Picchu: A Marvel of Inca Engineering |website=[[PBS]] |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/machupicchu/wright.html |access-date=2024-08-12}}</ref> Contemporary appearances include the footage of Machu Picchu in multimedia artist [[Kimsooja]]’s ''[[Thread Routes]]'' series (2010)<ref>{{cite web|work=[[National Museum of Women in the Arts]]|title=Artist Spotlight: Kimsooja's Threads of Culture and Landscape |url=https://nmwa.org/blog/nmwa-exhibitions/artist-spotlight-kimsoojas-threads-of-culture-and-landscape/ |date=9 September 2014 |access-date=21 August 2024}}</ref> and the blockbuster ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts]]'' (2023), which filmed sequences at Machu Picchu and other Cusco sites.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fuente |first=Anna Marie de la |title=Peru Aims for More Productions Post 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' |website=Variety |date=2023-05-20 |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/peru-transformers-rise-of-the-beasts-1235618700/ |access-date=2024-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=What Places in Peru Will Appear in the Film Transformers: Rise of the Beasts? |website=[[Andina (news agency)|Andina]] |date=2023-06-02 |url=https://andina.pe/ingles/noticia-what-places-in-peru-will-appear-in-the-film-transformers-rise-of-the-beasts-942340.aspx |access-date=2024-08-12}}</ref> The song "[[Kilimanjaro (song)|Kilimanjaro]]" from the Indian Tamil‑language film ''[[Enthiran]]'' (2010) was also filmed at Machu Picchu.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lahiri |first=Tripti |date=1 October 2010 |title=Machu Picchu Welcomes Rajinikanth (and India) |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/10/01/machu-picchu-welcomes-rajnikanth-and-india/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120104833/https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/10/01/machu-picchu-welcomes-rajnikanth-and-india/ |archive-date=2015-01-20 |access-date=2015-01-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Kumar |first=S. R. Ashok |date=2 October 2010 |title=Your hunt stops here |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/your-hunt-stops-here/article804495.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120164057/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/your-hunt-stops-here/article804495.ece |archive-date=2015-01-20 |access-date=2015-01-20|url-status=live}}</ref>
==See also==
{{portal|Civilizations|Cities|Peru}}
{{cols|colwidth=26em}}
*[[Iperú]], tourist information and assistance
*[[Lares trek]], an alternative route to that of the Inca Trail
*[[List of archaeological sites in Peru]]
*[[List of archaeoastronomical sites by country]]
*[[List of World Heritage Sites in Peru]]
*[[List of highest settlements]]
*[[Paleohydrology]]
*[[Putucusi]], neighboring mountain
*[[Religion in the Inca Empire]]
*[[Salcantay]] Trek – alternative trek to Machu Picchu
*[[Tourism in Peru]]
{{colend}}
==References==
=== Notes ===
{{notelist}}
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|30em}}
===Bibliography===
{{refbegin|30em}}
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* {{Cite book |last=Davies |first=Nigel |author-link=Nigel Davies (historian) |date=1997 |title=The Ancient Kingdoms of Peru |publisher=Penguin Books |___location=London and New York |isbn=978-0-14-023381-0 |oclc=37552622 |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=DXgaAAAAYAAJ}}}}
* {{Cite journal |last1=Dearborn |first1=David S. P. |last2=Schreiber |first2=Katharina J. |last3=White |first3=Raymond E. |date=1 January 1987 |title=Intimachay: A December Solstice Observatory at Machu Picchu, Peru |jstor=281786 |journal=American Antiquity |volume=52 |issue=2 |pages=346–352 |doi=10.2307/281786|s2cid=164181573 }}
* {{cite journal |last1 = Dearborn |first1 = D.S.P.|last2 = White |first2 = R.E. |date = 1983 |title = The "Torreon" of Machu Picchu as an Observatory |journal = Journal for the History of Astronomy | series = | volume = 14 | issue = 5 | pages = S37–S49 | doi=10.1177/002182868301400502 | url = https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002182868301400502 |bibcode=1983JHAS...14...37D|url-access = subscription }}
* {{cite book |last1=De Ocampo |first1=Baltasar |translator-last=Markham |translator-first=Sir Clements |translator-link=Clements Markham |title=An Account of the Province of Vilcapampa and a Narrative of the Execution of the Inca Tupac Amaru (1610) |publisher=York University |year=1999 |orig-year=1610 |publication-place=[[Cambridge, Ontario|Cambridge]] |page=11 |url=https://www.yorku.ca/inpar/ocampo_markham.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516170339/https://www.yorku.ca/inpar/ocampo_markham.pdf |archive-date=2025-05-16 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book | last = Dolan | first = Marion | title = Decoding Astronomy in Art and Architecture | chapter = Art, Architecture, and Astronomy in South America | doi = 10.1007/978-3-030-76511-8_17 | isbn = 978-3-030-76511-8 | year = 2021 | pages = 295–336 }}
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* {{cite journal |first=Daniel |last=Eisenberg |author-link=:es:Daniel Eisenberg |title=Machu Picchu and Cusco |journal=Journal of Hispanic Philology |volume=13 |year=1989 |pages=97–101 |url=http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/deisenbe/JHPcolumn/MACHUPIC.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313050543/http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/deisenbe/JHPcolumn/MACHUPIC.htm |archive-date=2016-03-13}}
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* {{cite journal|last1=Gaither|first1=Catherine|first2=Jonathan |last2=Kent|first3=Victor |last3=Sanchez|first4=Teresa |last4=Tham|date=June 2008|title=Mortuary Practices and Human Sacrifice in the Middle Chao Valley of Peru: Their Interpretation in the Context of Andean Mortuary Patterning|journal=Latin American Antiquity|volume=19|issue=2|pages=107, 115, 119|doi=10.1017/S1045663500007744|s2cid=162727279}}
* {{cite book|author=[[Geographical Society of Philadelphia]] |title=Bulletin of the Geographical Society of Philadelphia|year=1912|volume=10|chapter=Yale Expedition to Peru|chapter-url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=DHBIAAAAYAAJ}}}}
* {{cite journal | last1 = Gordon | first1 = Robert B. | last2 = Rutledge | first2 = John W. | title = Bismuth Bronze from Machu Picchu, Peru | journal = Science | volume = 223 | year = 1984 | issue = 4636 | pages = 585–586 | publisher = American Association for the Advancement of Science |doi = 10.1126/science.223.4636.585| pmid = 17749940 | bibcode = 1984Sci...223..585G }}
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* {{Cite book |last=Hall |first=Amy Cox |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VZk5DwAAQBAJ |title=Framing a Lost City: Science, Photography, and the Making of Machu Picchu |date=2017-11-22 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=978-1-4773-1368-8 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Heaney |first=Christopher |url=https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780230112049/cradleofgold |title=Cradle of gold: the story of Hiram Bingham, a real-life Indiana Jones and the search for Machu Picchu |date=2011 |publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|MacMillan]] |isbn=978-0-230-11204-9 |access-date=8 August 2023|___location= New York}}
* {{cite book|first1=Werner |last1=Herzog|first2=Paul |last2=Cronin |author-link1=Werner Herzog |author-link2= Paul Cronin|title=Herzog on Herzog|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=ydN_2oj8M0wC}}|year=2002|publisher=MacMillan|publication-place=London|isbn=978-0-571-20708-4}}
* {{cite journal|last=Hill|first=Michael|title=Myth, Globalization, and Mestizaje in New Age Andean Religion: The Intic Churincuna (Children of the Sun) of Urubamba, Peru|journal=Ethnohistory|date=2010|volume=57|issue=2|pages=263, 273–2m75|doi=10.1215/00141801-2009-063}}
* {{cite book |last1=Huamán |first1=Oliver |last2=Córdova |first2=Miguel |last3=Bar |first3=Alfredo |last4=Chirinos |first4=Ricardo |last5=Huerta |first5=Gisella |last6=Obeso |first6=Percy |last7=Pino |first7=José Luis |last8=Díaz |first8=José Luis |last9=Paredes |first9=Luis Enrique |last10=Perales |first10=Manuel Fernando |last11=Castillo |first11=Aurelio |last12=Zambrano |first12=Raúl |last13=Capriata |first13=Camila |last14=Moreano |first14=Wendy |last15=Pozzi-Escot |first15=Denise |last16=Angeles |first16=Rommel |last17=Castillo |first17=Nina |last18=Areche |first18=Rodrigo |last19=Lázaro |first19=Ernesto |last20=Casaverde |first20=Guido |editor-last=Tord |editor-first=María |title=Rutas ancestrales del Qhapaq Ñan |publisher=[[Ministry of Culture (Peru)|Ministry of Culture]] |___location=Lima |ref={{harvid|Huamán et al.|2020}} |date=2020 |isbn=978-612-4391-24-8 |edition=1st |url=https://qhapaqnan.cultura.pe/sites/default/files/mi/archivo/RutasAncestrales.pdf |access-date=2025-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230808211508/https://qhapaqnan.cultura.pe/sites/default/files/mi/archivo/RutasAncestrales.pdf |archive-date=2023-08-08 |url-status=live | language=es}}
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* {{cite journal | last1 = Keough | first1 = Elizabeth Betsy | title = Heritage in Peril: A Critique of UNESCO's World Heritage Program | journal = Washington University Global Studies Law Review | volume = 10 | pages = 593 | year = 2011 | url = https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_globalstudies/vol10/iss3/5 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Krupp |first1=Edwin |author-link=Ed Krupp|title=Echoes of the Ancient Skies |date=1994 |publisher=Dover Publications, Inc. |___location=Mineola |isbn=978-0-486-42882-6}}
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* {{cite book |last1=Longhena |first1=Maria |last2=Alva |first2=Walter |title=The Incas and Other Ancient Andean Civilizations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K1qSNAAACAAJ |year=2007 |publisher=[[Barnes & Noble]] Books |isbn=978-1-4351-0003-9}}
* {{cite journal |last1= Luciano |first1= Pellegrino A. |date= 2011 |title= Where are the Edges of a Protected Area? Political Dispossession in Machu Picchu, Peru |journal= Conservation and Society |volume= 9 |issue= 1 |pages= 35–41 |doi= 10.4103/0972-4923.79186|jstor= 26393123 |doi-access= free |hdl= 10535/7402 |hdl-access= free}}
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* {{cite book | last=MacQuarrie | first=Kim | author-link= Kim MacQuarrie | title=The Last Days Of The Incas | publisher=Little, Brown Book Group | year=2012 | isbn=978-1-4055-2607-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k1w7KARSwgYC |access-date=2024-08-21}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XGtFCQAAQBAJ&q=guinea&pg=PA38|title=Daily Life in the Inca Empire |last=Malpass|first=Michael A.|edition=2nd |year=2009|publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]]|isbn=978-0-313-35549-3|language=en|page=38}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KQR6iXMT11EC|title=Plagues and Peoples|last=McNeill|first=William|author-link=William H. McNeill|date=2010|publisher=[[Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group]]|isbn=978-0-307-77366-1|language=en|page=216}}
* {{cite journal |last=Medrano |first=Adolfo |date=1998 |title=Peru: Machu Picchu's cable car saga |journal=UNESCO Sources |issue=106 |pages=12–13 |url=https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000114228.locale=en |language=English}}
*{{cite book |title=Perú: Compendio de Cifras de Turismo, Enero 2025 |trans-title=Peru: Compendium of Tourism Figures, January 2025 |date=2025-02-28 |url=https://cdn.www.gob.pe/uploads/document/file/7718075/6529654-peru-compendio-de-cifras-de-turismo-enero-2025.pdf |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Peru)|Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism]] |___location=Lima |ref={{harvid|MINCETUR|2025}} |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250801190006/https://cdn.www.gob.pe/uploads/document/file/7718075/6529654-peru-compendio-de-cifras-de-turismo-enero-2025.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-01 |url-status=live | language=es}}
* {{cite journal |title=Reviewing human-environment interactions in arid regions of southern South America during the past 3000 years |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=281 |issue=3–4 |pages=283–295 |year=2009 |last1=Morales |first1=M. |last2=Barberena |first2=R. |last3=Belardi |first3=J.B. |last4=Borrero |first4=L. |last5=Cortegoso |first5=V. |last6=Durán |first6=V. |last7=Guerci |first7=A. |last8=Goñi |first8=R. |last9=Gil |first9=A. |last10=Neme |first10=G. |last11=Yacobaccio |first11=H. |last12=Zárate |first12=M. |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.09.019 |bibcode=2009PPP...281..283M}}
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* {{cite journal |doi=10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2 |volume=51 |pages=933–938 |title=Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth |last1=Olson |first1=David M. |last2=Dinerstein |first2=Eric |last3=Wikramanayake |first3=Eric D. |last4=Burgess |first4=Neil D. |last5=Powell |first5=George V. N. |last6=Underwood |first6=Emma C. |last7=d'Amico |first7=Jennifer A. |last8=Itoua |first8=Illanga |last9=Strand |first9=Holly E.| display-authors = 8 |journal=BioScience |issue=11|year=2001 |doi-access=free }}
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* {{cite book | last = Reinhard | first = Johan |author-link=Johan Reinhard | title = Machu Picchu: Exploring an Ancient Sacred Center | year = 2007 | publisher =The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, [[University of California, Los Angeles]] |___location=Los Angeles |isbn=978-1-931745-44-4 |oclc=141852845}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Rodriguez-Camilloni |first1=Humberto |title=Reviewed Work: Machu Picchu: Unveiling the Mystery of the Incas by Richard L Burger, Lucy C. Salazar |journal=Journal of Latin American Geography |volume=8 |issue=2 |year=2009 |pages=230–232 |jstor=25765271 |doi=10.1353/lag.0.0051 |s2cid=144758591 }}
* {{cite book | title = Qullaw Qichwapa Simi Qullqan | url = http://www.digeibir.gob.pe/sites/default/files/documentos/diccionario%20quechua%20collao%20baja.pdf | last1 = Rufino | first1=Nonato | last2 = Alosilla | first2 = Carmen | last3 = Choque | first3 = Victoria | publisher = Ministry of Education of Peru | date = 2014 | access-date = 2024-08-12 | language = qu | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141129155515/http://www.digeibir.gob.pe/sites/default/files/documentos/DICCIONARIO%20QUECHUA%20COLLAO%20BAJA.pdf | archive-date = 29 November 2014 | url-status = dead}}
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* {{cite book | title = Lonely Planet Peru (Travel Guide) | edition = 11th | publisher = [[Lonely Planet]] | isbn = 9781788684255 | publication-date = November 2021 | last1 = Sainsbury | first1 = Brendan | last2 = Egerton | first2 = Alex | last3 = Johanson | first3 = Mark | last4 = McCarthy | first4 = Carolyn | last5 = Tang | first5 = Phillip | last6 = Waterson | first6 = Luke}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Salvatore |first1=Ricardo Donato |title=Local versus Imperial Knowledge: Reflections on Hiram Bingham and the Yale Peruvian Expedition |journal=Nepantla: Views from South |volume=4 |issue=1 |year=2003 |pages=67–80 |url=http://muse.jhu.edu/article/40208 }}
* {{cite book | last1=SERNANP | last2=Dirección Descentralizada de Cultura de Cusco (DCC) | title=Plan maestro del Santuario Histórico de Machupicchu 2015–2019 | trans-title=Machupicchu Historic Sanctuary Master Plan 2015-2019 | date=2015 | url=https://www.culturacusco.gob.pe/dmdocuments/machupicchu/DIAGNOSTICO_FINAL.pdf | publisher=[[Ministry of Environment (Peru)|Ministry of Environment]] and [[Ministry of Culture (Peru)|Ministry of Culture]] | access-date=12 August 2024 |ref={{harvid|SERNANP|DCC|2015}} | author1-link=SERNANP |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516033843/https://www.culturacusco.gob.pe/dmdocuments/machupicchu/DIAGNOSTICO_FINAL.pdf |archive-date=2025-05-16|url-status=live|language=es}}
* {{cite journal | last1 = Swanson | first1 = Stephanie | title = Repatriating Cultural Property: The Dispute between Yale and Peru over the Treasures of Machu Picchu | journal = San Diego International Law Journal | volume = 10 | pages = 469 | year = 2009 | url = https://digital.sandiego.edu/ilj/vol10/iss2/7 }}
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* {{Cite book |title=The White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland |last=Thomson |first=Hugh |author-link=Hugh Thomson (writer) |publisher=[[Hachette UK]] |year=2010 |isbn=9780297866169 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0ZJVDy63SmAC}}
* {{Cite book|title = Mining and quarrying in the Ancient Andes: sociopolitical, economic, and symbolic dimension|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=xShLdiUer_EC&q=machu%20picchu%20stone%20quarries%20km&pg=PA52|date = 2012|language = en|first1 = Nicholas|last1 = Tripcevich|first2 = Kevin J.|last2 = Vaughn|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|quote=In some cases, such as Machu Picchu, rock was quarried on site.|isbn = 978-1-4614-5200-3}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Turner|first=Bethany L.|date=2010|title=Variation in Dietary Histories Among the Immigrants of Machu Picchu: Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Evidence|journal=[[Chungara (journal)|Chungara, Revista de Antropología Chilena]]|volume=42|issue=2|pages=515–534|doi=10.4067/s0717-73562010000200012|doi-access=free}}
* {{Cite journal|last1=Turner|first1=Bethany L.|last2=Armelagos|first2=George J.|date=1 September 2012|title=Diet, residential origin, and pathology at Machu Picchu, Peru|journal=American Journal of Physical Anthropology|language=en|volume=149|issue=1 |pages=71–83|doi=10.1002/ajpa.22096|pmid=22639369|bibcode=2012AJPA..149...71T |issn=1096-8644}}
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* {{Cite journal|title=Kenneth Robert Wright|first=Richard G.|last=Weingardt|date=19 April 2008|journal=Leadership and Management in Engineering|volume=8|issue=2|pages=87–92|doi=10.1061/(ASCE)1532-6748(2008)8:2(87)|doi-access=free}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Wiener |first=Aaron |date=1 May 2008 |title=Hiram Bingham's Expedition and the Peruvian Response: A Connecticut Yanqui in the Land of the Incas |url=https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/mssa_collections/1 |journal=Kaplan Senior Essay Prize for Use of Library Special Collections |publisher=Yale University|access-date=9 August 2023}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Wright |first1=Kenneth R. |first2=Alfredo |last2=Valencia Zegarra |title=Machu Picchu: A Civil Engineering Marvel |publisher=ASCE Press ([[American Society of Civil Engineers]]) |___location=Reston, Virginia |oclc=43526790 |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=3ip5d8F5K4MC}} |date=2000 |isbn=978-0-7844-7052-7}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Wright |first1=Ruth |first2=Alfredo |last2=Valencia Zegarra |date=2004 |orig-date=First published 2001 |title=The Machu Picchu Guidebook: A self-guided tour |oclc=53330849 |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=xef8JWgrDlsC}} |publisher=Big Earth Publishing |isbn=978-1-55566-327-8}}
* {{cite journal | last1=Wright | first1=Kenneth R. | last2=Zegarra | first2=Alfredo Valencia | last3=Lorah | first3=William L. | title=Ancient Machu Picchu Drainage Engineering | journal=Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering | publisher=American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) | volume=125 | issue=6 | year=1999 | issn=0733-9437 | doi=10.1061/(asce)0733-9437(1999)125:6(360) | pages=360–369| bibcode=1999JIDE..125..360W }}
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* {{Cite book |editor-last1=Ziółkowski |editor-first1=Mariusz |editor-last2=Masini |editor-first2=Nicola |editor-last3=Bastante |editor-first3=José M. |year=2022 |title=Machu Picchu in Context. Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Human Past |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-92766-0|publisher=Springer |___location=Cham |isbn=978-3-030-92765-3|doi=10.1007/978-3-030-92766-0|s2cid=253504097}}
** {{harvc | last1=Spizzichino | first1=Daniele | last2=Masini | first2=Nicola | last3=Lasaponara | first3=Rosa | last4=Margottini | first4=Claudio |year=2022| contribution=Machu Picchu Physiographic and Environmental Settings | pp=3–20 | url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-92766-0_1 |in1=Ziółkowski |in2=Masini |in3=Bastante}}
** {{harvc | last1=Ziółkowski | first1=Mariusz | last2=Kościuk| first2=Jacek |year=2022| contribution=Astronomical Observations at Machu Picchu: Facts, Hypothesis and Wishful Thinking | pp=167–236 | url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-92766-0_5 |in1=Ziółkowski |in2=Masini |in3=Bastante}}
** {{harvc | last1=Amado Gonzales | first1=Donato |year=2022| contribution=Ethnohistorical Documents of Machu Picchu National Archaeological Park | pp=501–542 | url=https://link-springer-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-92766-0_15 |in1=Ziółkowski |in2=Masini |in3=Bastante}}
{{refend}}
==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yupKeoiBOLcC | title=Cradle of Gold: The Story of Hiram Bingham, a Real-life Indiana Jones and the Search for Machu Picchu | publisher=[[St. Martin's Press]] | year=2011 | access-date=2023-08-08 | isbn=978-0-230-11204-9 | author=Christopher Heaney }}
* {{cite book | author=Bingham, Hiram | url=https://archives.yale.edu/repositories/12/archival_objects/1283060 | title=Bingham's Journal 1911 Expedition | series=Collection MS 664. Series III, Box 18, Folder 1 y 2 | publisher=Yale University Library | year=1911 }}
* {{cite book | author=Bingham, Hiram | url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/10772/10772-h/10772-h.htm | title=Inca Land: Explorations in the Highlands of Peru | edition=2nd | publisher=Houghton Mifflin | ___location=Boston | year=1922 }}
* {{cite book | author=Bingham, Alfred M. | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uF8aAAAAYAAJ | title=Portrait of an Explorer: Hiram Bingham, Discoverer of Machu Picchu | publisher=Iowa State University Press | ___location=Ames | year=1989 | isbn=978-0-8138-0136-0 }}
* {{cite journal | last=Cosio | first=José Gabriel | url=http://cbiblioteca.unsaac.edu.pe/revista/REVISTA02.pdf | title=An Excursion to Machupicchu, Ancient City | journal=Revista Universitaria de la Unsaac | volume=1 | issue=2 | pages=2–22 | year=1912 | publisher=Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco | ___location=Cusco |language=es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214161125/http://cbiblioteca.unsaac.edu.pe/revista/REVISTA02.pdf |archive-date=2025-02-14|url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |last=Doig |first=Federico Kauffmann |title=Machu Picchu: Tesoro Inca |language=es |trans-title=Machu Picchu: Inca Treasure |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=TYUTAQAAIAAJ}} |year=2005 |publisher=[[ICPNA|ICPNA, Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano]]}}
* {{Cite book|last1=Frost |first1=Peter |first2=Daniel |last2=Blanco |first3=Abel |last3=Rodríguez |first4=Barry |last4=Walker |name-list-style=amp |date=1995 |title=Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary |publisher=Nueves Imágines |___location=Lima |oclc=253680819 }}
* {{cite book|first=Deborah |last=Kops|title=Machu Picchu|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=57mqdKhFIF8C}}|year= 2008|publisher=Twenty-First Century Books|isbn=978-0-8225-7584-9 }}
* {{Cite book |author=MacQuarrie, Kim |date=2007 |title=The Last Days of the Incas |publisher=Simon & Schuster |___location=New York |isbn=978-0-7432-6049-7 |oclc=77767591 |url=https://archive.org/details/lastdaysofincas00macq }}
* {{Cite journal|author=Magli, Giulio |date=2009 |title=At the other end of the sun's path: A new interpretation of Machu Picchu |journal=Nexus Network Journal – Architecture and Mathematics|volume=12 |issue=2010 |pages=321–341 |arxiv=0904.4882|bibcode=2009arXiv0904.4882M|doi=10.1007/s00004-010-0028-2 |s2cid=118625418 }}
* {{Cite journal|last1=Masini|first1=Nicola|last2=Romano|first2=Gerardo|last3=Sieczkowska|first3=Dominika |date=2023 |title=Non invasive subsurface imaging to investigate the site evolution of Machu Picchu |journal=Scientific Reports|volume=13|issue= 1|pages=16035 |doi=10.1038/s41598-023-43361-x |pmid=37749316 |s2cid= |pmc=10519973|bibcode=2023NatSR..1316035M }}
* {{cite book | last=Rice | first=Mark | title=Making Machu Picchu: The Politics of Tourism in Twentieth-Century Peru | publisher=The University of North Carolina Press | publication-place=Chapel Hill | year=2018 | isbn=978-1-4696-4353-3}}
* {{Cite book|author=Richardson, Don |date=1981 |title=Eternity in their Hearts |publisher=Regal Books |___location=Ventura, CA |isbn=978-0-8307-0925-0 |oclc=491826338 |pages=34–35 }}
* {{Cite book |author=Weatherford, J. McIver |author-link=J. McIver Weatherford |title=Indian givers: how the Indians of the Americas transformed the world |date=1988 |publisher=Fawcett Columbine |___location=New York |isbn=978-0-449-90496-1 |oclc=474116190 |url=https://archive.org/details/indiangivershow000weat }}
* {{cite report |last1=Wright |first1=Kenneth R. |first2=Alfredo |last2=Valencia Zegarra |first3=Christopher M. |last3=Crowley |name-list-style=amp |date=May 2000a |title=Archaeological Exploration of the Inca Trail, East Flank of Machu Picchu and Palynology of Terraces. Final Report |___location=Denver |publisher=Wright Paleohydrological Institute}}
{{refend}}
==External links==
{{Commons and category|Machu Picchu|Machu_Picchu}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [https://www.machupicchu.gob.pe/?lang=en Official website of the Ministry of Culture of Peru]
* [https://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=274 UNESCO – Machu Picchu (World Heritage)]
*[https://www.machupicc.hu/ Stories on Machu Picchu by Fernando Astete, former Chief of National Archaeological Park of Machupicchu]
*[https://www.responsiblepeople.org/en/blog/machu-picchu-animals Plants and animals in Machu Picchu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104173159/https://www.responsiblepeople.org/en/blog/machu-picchu-animals |date=4 November 2023 }}
'''Images'''
* [https://historycollection.com/21-striking-photographs-machu-picchu-discovery/ First photographs of Hiram Bingham in Machu Picchu]
* [https://iconoteca.arc.usi.ch/en/collection/1824 Archive of Fernando Astete, former Chief of the National Archaeological Park of Machupicchu]
{{Peru topics}}
{{World Heritage Sites in Peru}}
{{Archaeological sites in Peru}}
{{Natural and Cultural Peruvian Heritage}}
{{New7Wonders of the World}}
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[[Category:Machu Picchu| ]]
[[Category:15th-century establishments in the Inca civilization]]
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[[Category:Archaeological sites in Peru]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Peru]]
[[Category:Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks]]
[[Category:Inca]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 1450s]]
[[Category:Populated places disestablished in 1565]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1981]]
[[Category:Ruins in Peru]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Peru]]
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