Machu Picchu Facts

Machu Picchu Facts

Where it’s located: in the cloud forest of the Andes Mountains, in southeastern Peru, South America.

Who built it?: The Incan Emperor Pachacutec ordered its construction.

When was Machu Picchu built?: in the mid-15th century A.D.

When was Machu Picchu abandoned? Probably 100 years after its construction, most likely during the time of the Spanish conquest, sometime between 1533-1536.

Who discovered it and when? The American history professor, Hiram Bingham, in 1911.

How does it rank as a site to visit in S America?: It is the most visited archaeological site in South America, is Peru’s #1 tourist attraction and in 2007 was voted one of the new “Seven Wonders of the World.”

How many people visit per year? Nearly one million. The Peruvian government has recently limited visitors to 2,500 per day. Before that, sometimes twice that amount would visit during the high season (May through September).

Is it worth the visit? If you can only visit one place in South America and are interested in getting a sense of the Andes and of the largest indigenous empire ever to have existed on the continent—by all means, Machu Picchu is the one place to visit. Since you have to travel to Cusco to get there, you get double bang for your buck, as Cusco is one of the most interesting cities on the planet.

Machu Picchu Facts: Getting There

How to get there: Travelers can take international flights to Lima, Peru and from Lima can connect to Cusco by plane or by bus. From Cusco, the normal route is to take a 3.5 hour train ride to Aguas Calientes (now called Machu Picchu Pueblo), a small town located at the base of Machu Picchu Mountain. It is a half-hour bus ride from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of the ruins, although you will often have to form a long queue to secure a bus seat. You can also hike from the valley floor up to the ruins.

Visitor Tickets & Tips: Because of the number of visitors, visitors should buy their tickets at least five days in advance. You can make an on-line reservation and pay for the tickets here:

http://www.machupicchu.gob.pe/

(first, click on the upper left tab “reservas”; then, when you have your reservation number, click on the next tab that says “pagos.” Or, you can make your reservation online here and pay later in person in Cusco, although if you buy your tickets on-line you will avoid standing in lines):

Machu Picchu Facts: Here are the various locations you can do this in person:

Locations to buy Machu Picchu tickets

You have to enter Machu Picchu the same day that you bought your ticket for. If you bought a ticket to enter Machu Picchu on a certain Friday, for example, then you have to enter Machu Picchu on Friday.

Do I need a separate ticket to climb Huayna Picchu? Yes. You can buy a combination ticket.

Best seasons to visit: The dry season in this area of the Andes runs from April through October. Peak visiting season is in July-August, so if possible, try and avoid these months. Ideal months for visiting are April, May, September, or October.

How much time to allow: Allow at least a day. This is a spectacular site.

Can I visit Machu Picchu from Cusco in a day? Yes, but it will be a rushed experience. You can take the 3.5 hour train ride to Aguas Calientes in the morning, visit the ruins in the afternoon, then take the night train back to Cusco. But ideally, you’ll spend a couple of nights in Aguas Calientes so that you can have a full day to enjoy Machu Picchu.

Best time of day to visit: Early and late. The ruins open from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM, 7 days a week and all year long. If you like, you can go up in the A.M. and then return in the P.M, for the same ticket price, avoiding the mid-day crowds. Tourist buses tend to depart an hour before closing, so the final hour at Machu Picchu is best.

Machu Picchu Facts: Where to stay

The nicest hotel in Aguas Calientes is the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Posada Hotel, although it’s pricey. After that, there’s a full array of lodging in Aguas Calientes, with a range of prices. You can also stay in the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge up on Machu Picchu mountain itself (it is the only hotel there); but this, too, is pricey.

http://www.inkaterra.com/inkaterra/inkaterra-machu-picchu-pueblo-hotel/

http://www.belmond.com/sanctuary-lodge-machu-picchu/

Is Aguas Calientes an interesting town? Not really. It’s a tourist town that sprang up because of the railway station and its proximity to Machu Picchu. It’s the ruins above that are the reason for the visit.

Machu Picchu Facts: How it was discovered

How did Hiram Bingham discover it? He was searching for a lost Inca city called Vilcabamba, after reading about it in old Spanish chronicles. To find it, he chased down every rumor of a “lost ruin” in the area. Two weeks into his trip, he stumbled upon Machu Picchu. (You can find out more about it in The Last Days of the Incas, which includes four chapters on Machu Picchu’s discovery).

When was Machu Picchu abandoned by the Incas? Probably soon after the arrival of the Spaniards (1533). This was a royal resort, and the Incas had more pressing things to do (combatting the Spaniards) than maintaining it.

Machu Picchu Facts: When was the earliest European visit? Spaniards who received lands in the area knew of its existence in the late 1500s. Local people probably always knew of its existence during the centuries after the Spanish Conquest. However, it wasn’t until Hiram Bingham visited the ruins in 1911 (and found three Peruvian farming families living there!) that he publicized its existence and Machu Picchu became known to the rest of the world.

Were the crates of Inca artifacts Hiram Bingham’s took from Peru ever returned? Yes, one hundred years later, in 2011! And only after the threat of a Peruvian lawsuit! (link)

Machu Picchu Facts: Famous Visitors
Famous visitors: Hiram Bingham, Che Guevara, Pablo Neruda, Mick Jagger, Cole Porter, Ron Howard, Bill Gates, Werner Herzog (while filming “Aguirre, Wrath of God” at Huayna Picchu), Charlton Heston (while filming the Hollywood film, “Secrets of the Incas” there), Jim Carrey, Susan Sarandon, Richard Gere, Shakira, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo di Caprio, etc.

Machu Picchu Facts: A Sacred Site?

Is it a sacred site? Yes, although in the Inca world the entire landscape was filled with sacred places—mountain tops, rivers, lakes, springs, glaciers, etc. Also, the citadel has a large number of temples, including a temple of the sun.

Was it a royal estate? Yes, it is thought to have been the royal estate of the Incan Emperor Pachacutec.

Why was it built on top of a mountain ridge in such a remote area? Because the emperor responsible for the building of Machu Picchu, Pachacutec Inca, had recently conquered the area. The citadel was built on top of a mountain ridge because mountains were sacred to the Incas and the citadel also had views of other sacred peaks.

How far is Machu Picchu from Cusco? About 75 miles.

What is the best route to get there?: One of the best routes to Machu Picchu includes spending a night in Ollantaytambo—the only Inca town that is still inhabited, and which has its own spectacular Inca ruins nearby. It is on the same train line between Cusco and Machu Picchu. If you can fit in a visit to Pisac, a little further up the Sacred Valley, that would be ideal. Pisac also has very good ruins.

Machu Picchu Facts: Daily Life at the Time of the Incas

Who lived there? The Inca emperor, Pachacutec, when he was in retreat, plus his affiliated nobles, retainers, and administrators, plus peasants from around the empire who were there to tend the nearby crops, cut stone, bring in supplies, etc.

How many people lived there? Between 700 and 1,000, depending on whether the Inca Emperor was visiting.

How many houses are there? Around 140.

What kind of crops did they grow there? Corn, potatoes and an unidentified legume (bean).

Are there burials at Machu Picchu? Yes, about 200 of them. Human skeletons and associated pottery and other artifacts have been found in numerous cavities below rocks.

What was the average height of the men and women buried at Machu Picchu? Men: 5’2”; women: 4’11”

Machu Picchu Facts: Amazing Facts

Is there a tomb of gold there? Golden ornaments have been found. Recently, a French explorer claims to have found a hidden tomb, but no solid proof has been offered.

Machu Picchu Facts: Is it true that there was an astronomical observatory there? Yes. The Sun Temple was so constructed that precise measurements of the winter and summer solstices could be made—essential in a society that depended upon agriculture. Also, an astronomical observatory at Machu Picchu has recently been discovered:

http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2013/09/astronomical-observatory-discovered-in.html

Machu Picchu Facts: Did the Inca road system connect to Machu Picchu? Yes, and part of it is now called “The Inca Trail.” The Incas built 26,000 miles of roadways throughout their empire.

How long did it take Chaski runners to carry a message to Cusco? About half a day. The Inca emperor could send a message to Cusco and receive a reply on the same day. It took Chaski runners about 3 days to carry a message from Cusco to the area that is now Lima, about 430 miles away.

Where did the stones of Machu Picchu come from? There is a rock quarry at the ruins.

Machu Picchu Facts: Who was Pachacutec, the Inca Emperor who Built Machu Picchu?

Read about Pachacutec and more Machu Picchu facts here