Which civilization built the city of Machu Picchu?

The Inca civilization built the city of Machu Picchu. The site stands high in the Andes of present-day Peru, above the Urubamba Valley, and was constructed during the height of the Inca Empire in the fifteenth century.

Machu Picchu includes terraces, plazas, temples, residences, and carefully fitted stone walls. Its original purpose is not known with complete certainty, but scholars commonly connect it with the Inca ruler Pachacuti, who expanded the empire dramatically. The site may have served as a royal estate, ceremonial center, or both.

The Spanish conquest did not appear to destroy Machu Picchu, and the site was probably abandoned during the sixteenth century. It remained known locally but gained worldwide attention after Hiram Bingham publicized it in 1911. Machu Picchu became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and is one of South America’s best-known archaeological destinations.