Which ancient city was built by the Inca high in Peru’s Andes?

Machu Picchu is the ancient Inca city built high in Peru’s Andes.

The site stands about 2,430 metres above sea level on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley. Archaeologists generally date its construction to the 15th century, during the reign of the Inca ruler Pachacuti.

Machu Picchu contains terraces, plazas, temples and carefully fitted stone structures. Its builders used sophisticated masonry and agricultural engineering, including drainage systems that helped the settlement withstand heavy mountain rainfall.

The site was brought to international attention in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, although local people knew of it and it was not literally unknown before then. Cusco was the Inca imperial capital, so it is not the same place as Machu Picchu. UNESCO designated Machu Picchu a World Heritage Site in 1983.