Peru contains Machu Picchu, the 15th-century Inca citadel high in the Andes.
Machu Picchu stands at roughly 2,430 metres above sea level in the Cusco Region of southern Peru. Built during the reign of the Inca ruler Pachacuti, it includes terraces, plazas, temples, residences, and carefully fitted stonework. Its setting lies above the Urubamba River valley.
The site was probably a royal estate or ceremonial complex rather than a conventional city. The Incas used sophisticated agricultural terraces and water-management systems to support life in the steep mountain environment.
Spanish colonial records do not appear to mention Machu Picchu, and the site remained largely unknown outside the local area until Hiram Bingham brought it to wider international attention in 1911. Peru declared it a protected historic sanctuary in 1981, and UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1983.