The archaeological site of Machu Picchu is located in Peru.
Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca site in the Andes, positioned on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley. Its stone terraces, plazas, temples, and carefully fitted masonry show the engineering and landscape skills of the Inca civilization.
The site was probably built during the reign of the Inca ruler Pachacuti, who ruled in the 15th century. It was abandoned in the 16th century during the Spanish conquest, although the Spanish appear not to have recorded or visited it. Hiram Bingham brought it to international attention in 1911, but local residents already knew of the ruins. Machu Picchu became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.