Pachacuti is the Inca ruler most commonly credited with founding Machu Picchu.
Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui ruled the Inca Empire during the fifteenth century and transformed it from a regional kingdom into a vast Andean state. Archaeological and historical interpretations commonly connect Machu Picchu with his reign, probably as a royal estate or ceremonial retreat built in the mountains above the Urubamba River.
Machu Picchu was constructed in the fifteenth century using finely fitted stonework, terraces, plazas, and drainage systems. Its exact purpose is not fully documented, because the Inca left no written record that directly explains the site's construction. That uncertainty is why scholars describe Pachacuti as the ruler commonly credited with it rather than claiming absolute proof.
The site was brought to wide international attention in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, although local residents already knew of it. It was not the Inca capital; Cusco served as the empire's political centre.