The ancient Inca site of Machu Picchu is in Peru. It stands high in the Andes above the Urubamba Valley, near the modern town of Aguas Calientes.
Built in the fifteenth century during the reign of the Inca ruler Pachacuti, Machu Picchu contains terraces, plazas, temples, residences, and carefully fitted stone structures. Its original purpose is debated, but researchers commonly connect it with royal, religious, and ceremonial activity.
The site was not destroyed by the Spanish conquest and remained relatively unknown outside the local region for centuries. American historian Hiram Bingham brought it to wider international attention in 1911, although local people already knew of the ruins and guided him there.
Machu Picchu became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and is one of Peru’s most important tourist destinations. It is often confused with Cusco, the historic Inca capital, or with the Sacred Valley, a wider region containing several important archaeological sites.