Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

The Hidden City High in the Andes Mountains of Peru is an ancient city: Machu Picchu. No one has lived there for hundreds of years. The city was hidden by thick forests and nearly forgotten for a long time.

Then, in 1911, an American explorer named Hiram Bingham climbed up a long, steep path. When he reached the top, he was amazed at what he saw. There were ancient roads, stone walls, and buildings. Bingham knew this was an important city. He understood that Machu Picchu was an ancient treasure of the Inca people.

The Inca People It is not easy to learn about the Inca. Many experts think they had no written language. People learn what their lives were like by studying what they left behind. Experts think the Inca first lived in the mountains of Peru. They became good at making buildings and roads. They also knew how to grow crops for food.

An Inca leader named Pachacuti (pah-chah- KOO-tee) ruled from 1438to 1471. Experts think Machu Picchu may have been built for him. Under his leadership, the empire stretched through what are now the countries of Ecuador and Peru. The Inca Empire grew as the Inca won battles with nearby enemies. Over time it grew to include about twelve million people. Cuba, Greece, and many other countries today have fewer people!

Building Machu Picchu Why did the Inca build Machu Picchu so high in the mountains? Experts think it may have been so they could observe people moving below in the valley. Yet people below could not see that there was a city on top! Even if they had, the location would have been easy to defend.