H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

Cuzco (Peru) – Machu Picchu

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Photo Gallery

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Note: Machu Picchu ( Old Mountain) is a 15th-century Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a 2,430-meter (7,970 ft) mountain ridge. It is located in the Machupicchu District within Urubamba Province above the Sacred Valley, which is 80 kilometers (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco. The Urubamba River flows past it, cutting through the Cordillera and creating a canyon with a tropical mountain climate. Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historic Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, Macchu Picchu was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide internet poll.

1 – Machu Picchu was built on top of a mountain, often referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas”, the Spanish Conquistadors never discovered for hundreds of years. Actually, can not seen from the foot of the mountain. Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain) is right next to it.

2 – The Incas built terraces (andenes) for their agricultural needs. The ways for maintaining irrigation for their crops is something of complete genius of Engineering.

3 – through 8 – The Incas utilized granite stones for their constructions, for terraces, walls, stairs, monuments, without any kind of cement or adhesives.

9 – The Llamas of the family: Camelidae where domesticated and used a lading animals to transport their agricultural produce and other objects of menagerie.

10 – 11 – and 13 – Persons which were in charge of tending for the crops lived close to the terraces.

12 – This block of granite was design especially for the Inca ( According to legend). The Inca could know the time of day (Hour) by looking at it, from the points wee he used to stay in the Citadel.

14 – This shot was taken when I climbed the Wayna Picchu the you also have ruins. I don’t think they let you climb here now.

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© HJ Ruiz – Avian101