Machu Picchu, the famous Inca citadel, is in Peru.
The site stands high in the Andes above the Urubamba Valley, at an elevation of about 2,430 metres. Most historians believe it was built in the fifteenth century during the reign of the Inca ruler Pachacuti.
Machu Picchu was constructed from finely cut stone and includes terraces, plazas, temples, and residential areas. Its original purpose remains debated, although theories include a royal estate, a religious centre, or a retreat for the Inca elite.
The outside world learned of the site through Hiram Bingham’s 1911 expedition, though local people already knew of it. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and is one of Peru’s most visited landmarks.