Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca site
located 2,430 metres (8,000 ft) above sea
level. It is situated on a mountain ridge
above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is
80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco and
through which the Urubamba River flows.
Often referred to as "The Lost City of the
Incas", Machu Picchu is one of the most
familiar symbols of the Inca Empire.
Although known locally, it was said to have
been forgotten for centuries when the site
was brought to worldwide attention in 1911
by Hiram Bingham, an American historian.
Since then, Machu Picchu has become an
important tourist attraction.
Previously, in
1867 by a German businessman, Augusto Berns.
In fact, there is substantial evidence that
a British missionary, Thomas Payne, and a
German engineer, J. M. von Hassel, arrived
earlier than Hiram, and maps found by
historians show references to Machu Picchu
as early as 1874.
Machu Picchu was declared
a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and
a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
Since
it was not plundered by the Spanish when
they conquered the Incas, it is especially
important as a cultural site and it is
considered a sacred place.
