The country home to Machu Picchu, the Inca citadel built in the 15th century, is Peru.
Machu Picchu stands in the Andes above the Urubamba Valley, near the modern town of Aguas Calientes. Archaeologists generally date its construction to the reign of the Inca ruler Pachacuti, who ruled during the 15th century. The site includes terraces, temples, plazas, and carefully fitted stone buildings.
The Spanish conquistadors did not record Machu Picchu in the way they recorded major Inca centers, and the site was not widely known internationally until its 1911 publicity through the work of Hiram Bingham. It was never truly “lost” to local people, however; nearby communities knew of it.
Machu Picchu became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It is often called a city, but scholars also describe it as a royal estate or ceremonial complex. It should not be confused with Cusco, the Inca capital, which lies farther southeast.