Hidden away within the Andes, 2,430 meters (7,972 ft) above sea level, the Inca site of Machu Picchu near Cusco in Peru is often referred to as the lost city of the Incas. These days you couldn’t claim it’s still lost. With over one and a half million tourists visiting in 2018 (pre-pandemic), it is a popular tourist destination which was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World back in 2007.
The “Discovery” of Machu Picchu
The ruins of Machu Picchu , which means “Old Mountain”, were re-discovered on the 24th July 1911 by the American explorer and Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham after having been abandoned for 400 years. While he has taken the credit for what is deemed one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century, it was actually the locals who led him there, having been using the site for growing crops. Bingham was however the first to conduct excavations at Machu Picchu, leaving a plethora of information, documents, maps and photographs for posterity.
Although it was discovered over 100 years ago, it is still a hotbed of academic controversy, with archaeologists and historians continuing to debate its origins. The news is frequently filled with new studies and excavations, as more than one generation of archaeologists continue to be inspired by its legen
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