Machu Picchu is a mysterious city of the Incas, located in Peru and located at the top of a mountain range, at an altitude of 2450 meters. It is a city of centuries-old history and unsolved mysteries. Machu Picchu, built in the middle of the 15th century and existed for about 100 years, remained abandoned for several centuries. The city became known only in 1911 thanks to the American professor Hiram Bingham.
The legend of the existence of this ancient city of the Incas has long wandered among scientists from all over the world, but only one managed to find it.
The history of the discovery of Machu Picchu is very curious. Hiram Bingham wandered in these places in search of a completely different place, where, according to legend, the ancient Incas took many treasures and mummies of their rulers - the city of Vilcabamba. On the way, the professor met a boy carrying an unusual ceramic jug, and asked where he took it. Adult local residents never shared their secrets, but a little boy, out of the kindness of his soul, easily agreed to show the way.
It is not known for certain how and for what purpose the Incas built this city, and even in such an inaccessible place far from the center of their state. Machu Picchu is not distinguished by its impressive size, it has about 200 structures made of stone slabs, well-worked and so tightly fitted to each other that, after centuries, even a coin cannot be inserted between them. There are temple buildings, palace buildings, warehouses, ordinary houses, dungeons and a cemetery. According to rough estimates of scientists, about 1000-1200 people lived in the city and its environs.
The ancient Incas worshiped the sun god Inti and cultivated crops. They cultivated 5 hectares of land on special narrow terraces made on the slopes of the mountain. The terraces and all the steps leading to them have been preserved practically in their original form.
Only a select few could live in Machu Picchu - the highest nobility, her retinue, priests and the best farmers, because not everyone is able to grow an excellent harvest at an altitude of more than 2000 meters. Even virgins were allowed into the city, who devoted their entire lives only to serving the god Inti.
Also in Machu Picchu you can see:
- Temple of the Sun - here the priests determined the exact location of the sun for performing magical rituals.
- Temple of Three Windows - according to legend, the founders of the Inca empire entered the world through three windows.
- Intiutana (sundial) - according to the shadow of the Inca cast from the stone, the time was determined.
- Hall of mortars - stone mortars could have been used by the Incas for the preparation of paints from crushed minerals and plants.
- The necropolis is a ritual stone with three steps, symbolizing heaven, earth and the underworld. At this place, under the influence of the sun, the natural mummification of the dead took place.
For several decades, scientists from all over the world have been studying the ancient city of Machu Picchu, but little is known about the Inca Empire. Many secrets and mysteries of this civilization remain unanswered. Or maybe they will never be solved at all …
