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At a dizzying 2, meters above sea-level, the view form Machu Picchu on a clear day is breath taking. The function of these ruins is still a debate amongst archaeologist. The consensus opinion is that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the great Inca Pachacuti. It is also considered a pilgrimage site that Incas would take to pay respects to the great Inca leader.
The pilgrimage taken to the site is the route now called the Inca Trail. Their profound impact is found all over Peru and other parts of South America. Huge flocks of tourists descend upon the ruins each winter and this popularity now threatens its very existence.
The Inca Trail is just as well known as Machu Picchu and the trail each year fills up quickly. The trek takes you through ruins and beautiful landscapes and leads to the ultimate destination, Machu Picchu.
Cusco and the areas that surround Machu Picchu are rich in culture interest. It is a combination of Andean traditions and Peruvian culture, with people speaking both Quechua and Spanish in the area. Everything from the cloths to the language is unlike anything else in the world. Machu Picchu is the holy grail of all backpacker destinations and is certainly deserving of bragging rights. The granite rocks used to construct Machu Picchu were extremely heavy with some weighing over 55 tons.
The stones were either pushed up the mountain by the bare hands of hundreds of men or chiseled from the side of the mountain itself. Machu Picchu was constructed with a technique called ashlar which involves stones being perfectly shaped so that a mortar is not needed. The stones are fit so well that not even the blade of a knife would fit between them. Archaeologists have found evidence to suggest that the area where Machu Picchu was built has been used for agriculture dating back as far as B.
The Inca people did not keep any written records, keeping the intended purpose of Machu Picchu up for debate. It was only populated for years, after which it was abandoned around the time of the Spanish invasion. Some People believe that Machu Picchu had to be abandoned by the Incas because of an outbreak of smallpox.
More than buildings make up Machu Picchu. These buildings range from temples and sanctuaries to baths and houses. There are also over flights of stairs in Machu Picchu. Most of which were carved from one single slab of stone. To find out everything you need to know about visiting Machu Picchu click here. Peru was in a longstanding disagreement with Yale University in the United States over 5, artifacts which were collected by Bingham during his exploration. Peru argued that they gave the artifacts as a loan while Yale insists they own the artifacts.
Moreover, there were Quechua farmers who were still cultivating the terraces when Bingham showed up in Photo of Machu Picchu taken in Photo by National Geographic. Most archaeologists believe that the emperor Pachacuti had it built as a royal estate. However, some believe it was a retreat for high ranking religious leaders and scholars of the Inca empire. Although the conquistadors introduced the Spanish language in the 16th century, many Andean people in Peru still speak a local language called Quechua.
Quechua is the source for many place names throughout the country. Learn more about the Quechua people and their language here. These artifacts included ceramics, jewelry, silver pieces, and human bones. The Peruvian government contested that the artifacts should be returned for years until Yale finally sent them back in There are some amateur scholars that believe aliens built Machu Picchu.
For them, it seems inconceivable that a people without iron tools, draft animals, or even the wheel could have lugged such large stones up the mountainside and built such magnificent structures.
However, archeologists and scholars agree that the Incas, with their impressive engineering techniques and use of human labor, were more than capable of constructing the site without outside or outer-worldly help. Many travelers worry about the effects of altitude sickness when traveling to Machu Picchu, but the site is actually at a lower altitude than Cusco. Machu Picchu sits at 7, feet 2, meters while Cusco is located at 11, feet 3, meters.
The threshold for altitude sickness symptoms is about 8, feet 2, meters. Because of its location on the edge of the Andes and the Amazon rainforest , Machu Picchu has a very unique climate.
You can even see a wide variety of subtropical species of brightly colored birds and flowers. Typical cloud forest vegetation at Machu Picchu. Although the Incas brought llamas and alpacas with them to Machu Picchu and tourists today have fun taking selfies with llamas, neither species is native to this region of Peru. Llamas and alpacas prefer altitudes of 13, feet 4, m and above. The llamas you see at Machu Picchu today—and even the grass they eat!
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