Considered one of the greatest legacies of the Inca empire and chosen as one of the 7 wonders of the modern world, Machu PicchuIt is, without a doubt, one of the places that no one can miss. A source of inspiration for those who visit, this magnificent citadel hidden among the mountains hides some mysteries about its construction and the relevance it had in the Inca culture. Therefore, if you plan to travel to discover it or simply learn about it, you will find it interesting to know some details or curious facts about Machu Pichu.
We must start by knowing that the meaning of its name in the Quechua word is «old mountain»and although it is very old, the archaeologist Hiram Bingham unveiled it in 1911. From that moment the world was surprised by these 140 imposing structures that are located 2400 meters above sea level in the mountains Peru, and occupy a total area of 325.92 square kilometers.
This set of structures forms a citadel framed in a beautiful natural setting of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu; that They are part of the «Batolito de Vilcabamba» orographic formation, in the Peruvian Andes.. Let’s learn more curiosities about Machu Pichu:
The Spanish never found it: It is estimated that these structures were built in the mid-1400s, but the Spanish in their colonizing process did not stumble upon the lost city of the Incas until its discoverer, Hiram Bingham, arrived in 1911, who immediately made them known. But it was not until 1983 when it was included in the list of cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO. In addition, on July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was chosen as one of the new 7 wonders of the world, in a ceremony attended by one hundred million voters from around the world.
Difficult access requires extra effort: Its drop of 400 meters makes it practically in a very pronounced ravine in the province of Urubamba in Cusco. Something that makes access to Machu Pichu difficult but well worth the effort, so you will have to be there to understand it.
The incredible thing about its construction: The stones used for the construction of the structures of Machu Picchu, have a weight of approximately 55 tons, which is surprising. Because, it is inexplicable how they raised them with their own hands up such a complex mountain, unless they carved directly on the mountain; through a technique called ashlar. Which is a stone carving of perfect precision; that for that time it is unlikely that it was known. It is good to ask then, how was it built? Well, this is still a mystery.
The fog and the ghosts: It is said that the thick fog covers Machu Pichu for several hours every day, but, in addition, some people also say that at night the ghosts have scared many away, that they hear the screams and voices that come from everywhere.
The mysterious reasons why the Incas abandoned it: The Incas left no written record when leaving Machu Pichu, so there are no verifiable reasons for their abandonment. But it is known that they inhabited this place for only 100 years, and it was abandoned around the time of the Spanish conquest. However, some experts on the subject believe that the reason for the abandonment was an outbreak of smallpox, but this is not certain; so that until now there are no totally valid explanations.
The lawsuit between Yale University: This famous university in the United States was maintaining a lawsuit for many years with the government of Peru; since he claimed 5,000 objects found by Hiram Bingham, when making the archaeological find in Machu Pichu. Both parties were in this dispute from 1911 until a trial was held in 2011, where Yale University agreed to return them to Peru.
The wonderful structural engineering of the Incas: Despite the time when Machu Picchu was built, the Incas managed to apply techniques and methods that were so effective that they provided security and stability to these structures, designing and building 600 terraces that prevent the structure from collapsing on one side of the mountain. .
Amazing road system: In its construction, communication systems were also taken into account, they built several roads that connect other regions of Peru with Machu Picchu, along 10,000 miles. In which there are bridges to paved roads in the mountains.
A clock for the functioning of the structure: There are 3 basic parts in Machu Pichu, according to archaeological studies; that have been differentiated as the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Three Windows and the Intihuatana; which functions as an astronomical clock and calendar.
Anti-seismic structures: The engineering used by the Incas allowed them to build very resistant structures against earthquakes; even more stable than many built today with the most advanced technology, which makes us wonder once again how they did it? This is a mystery that has not yet been explained.
Machu Picchu in the mecca of cinema: One of the few movies that got permission to be shot in Machu Pichu was “Robot”; and it caused quite a problem, because one of the cranes used in the filming damaged part of the structure, which became a real scandal.