Which empire built Machu Picchu in the fifteenth century?

The Inca Empire built Machu Picchu in the fifteenth century.

Machu Picchu is a fifteenth-century Inca citadel located high in the Andes of present-day Peru. Archaeological evidence and historical interpretations associate its construction with Pachacuti, the ruler who greatly expanded the Inca state. The site includes terraces, plazas, residences, ceremonial structures, and carefully fitted stone walls.

Its builders worked without iron tools, wheeled transport for construction, or mortar between many of the stones. Terracing helped stabilize steep slopes and support agriculture, while sophisticated drainage reduced the danger from heavy mountain rain. The site’s exact purpose remains debated; it may have served as a royal estate, ceremonial center, or both.

Machu Picchu was probably abandoned during the Spanish conquest, although the Spanish did not appear to know about the mountaintop complex. Hiram Bingham brought it to broad international attention in 1911, but local inhabitants already knew the site. It should not be confused with Cusco, the historic Inca capital.