Machu Picchu is without doubt one of the most famous places on earth. Till the 15th century it was an Inca citadel located in the Cusco Region in Peru’s Urubamba Province. Today it’s perhaps the best known Inca remains.
It was build around 1,450 as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti—probably. Although it was abandoned a century later when the Spanish came to America, it remained unknown to them.
In 1981 it was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary and a UNESCO World Heritage Site two years later. Ten years ago, in 2007, Machu Picchu was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The best view over Machu Picchu certainly is from a neighboring mountain. The Huayna Picchu stands 8,835 feet (2,693 m) high—topping Machu Picchu by 850 feet (260 m)—offering an impressive view over the old Inca monument.
But to get there you have to be brave—the stairs leading to the top are exposed, sometimes hanging over the edge of the cliff. But on the other hand you are rewarded with an astonishing sight of the old Inca site.
