Machu Picchu

The stone complex sits at 7970 feet (2430 meters) above sea level and contains more than 200 buildings connected by stairs and terraces cut into the mountain. The layout divides into an agricultural zone with terraced fields, a residential sector and a sacred quarter with temple structures while massive granite blocks were shaped so precisely without mortar that no blade fits between the joints and a sophisticated drainage system channels rainwater away from the buildings.

Building work started around 1450 under Inca ruler Pachacuti following military successes in the Sacred Valley and the location likely functioned as a royal retreat and religious center. The inhabitants left during the Spanish conquest in the 1530s which spared the structures from destruction by conquistadors who never located them while American historian Hiram Bingham reached the overgrown ruins in 1911 with the help of local farmers and brought them to scholarly awareness.

Guided tours typically move through the grounds in groups and entry follows a timed slot system with regulated routes across the complex. Visitors often see local Quechua-speaking guides who combine traditional knowledge of Andean plants and building methods with modern archaeological explanations and maintain a living connection to their ancestral history.

Travelers reach the grounds by train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes followed by a bus ride up the mountain or a steep walking trail. Entry tickets need to be reserved weeks ahead online since daily visitor numbers are capped at 3800 and the dry season from May through September offers the most favorable weather while no food outlets or shops operate on site so visitors should carry water and snacks and be ready for altitude effects.

The layout follows astronomical events through precise engineering with the Intihuatana stone marking seasonal shifts. This ritually shaped granite pillar casts no shadow at midday during the equinoxes and helped the Inca determine farming cycles while the Spanish systematically destroyed similar stones at other sites but this one remained hidden and functional through centuries of colonial rule.

Location: Urubamba Province

Location: Cusco Department

Inception: 1450

Elevation above the sea: 2,430 m

Accessibility: Wheelchair limited access

Part of: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

Website: http://machupicchu.gob.pe

GPS coordinates: -13.16306,-72.54556

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:40