Peru contains the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu stands high in the Andes above the Urubamba Valley, near the city of Cusco. Archaeologists generally date its construction to the 15th century, during the reign of the Inca ruler Pachacuti. The site includes plazas, terraces, temples, residences, drainage works, and carefully fitted stone walls.
The settlement was probably abandoned in the 16th century during the Spanish conquest, although Spanish colonists did not appear to have known its full significance. American explorer Hiram Bingham brought broad international attention to the site in 1911, despite local knowledge of the ruins before his visit.
Machu Picchu is often called a “lost city,” but that phrase can mislead: local people knew the location, and researchers continue to debate the site’s precise purpose. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1983.