Peru
It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley which is 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Another Inca bridge was built to the west of Machu Picchu, the tree-trunk bridge, at a location where a gap occurs in the cliff that measures 6 metres (20 ft). It could be bridged by two tree trunks, but with the trees removed, there was a 570 metres (1,870 ft) fall to the base of the cliffs. Machu Picchu Gateway is your ultimate resource for travel information about Machu Picchu, Peru. We are a leading tour company specializing in personalized travel to South America and we are happy to help you book your next vacation. The Best of Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu legacy of the ancient Peruvians. Machu Picchu Ruins. Machu Picchu Discounted Tours. Inca Trail Hikes. Book your Inca Trail tour from Cusco to Machu Picchu. Welcome to the mysterious ruins of Machu Picchu, Peru. Prepare yourself as you are about to embark on a virtual tour exploring one of the most intriguing destinations on the planet. Don’t worry ... The new Seven Wonders are in. Visit the links below to take virtual tours or view still images of the new 7 wonders of the world. 1  Chichen Itza, Mexico-Christ the Redeemer, Brazil-The Great Wall, China-Machu Picchu, Peru-The Roman Colosseum, Italy-The Taj Mahal, India-Petra, Jordan. Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site in Peru, in South America. The Incas built the city on a mountain ridge, 2430m above sea level. They lived there between 1200 and 1450 AD. Other people lived there before about 650 AD.  Introduction. Tucked away in the rocky countryside northwest of Cuzco, Peru, Machu Picchu is believed to have been a royal estate or sacred religious site for Inca leaders, whose civilization was virtually wiped out by Spanish invaders in the 16th century.  Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, Machu Picchu was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide Internet poll. Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Another Inca bridge was built to the west of Machu Picchu, the tree-trunk bridge, at a location where a gap occurs in the cliff that measures 6 metres (20 ft). It could be bridged by two tree trunks, but with the trees removed, there was a 570 metres (1,870 ft) fall to the base of the cliffs. Machu Picchu (in hispanicized spelling, [ˈmatʃu ˈpiktʃu]) or Machu Pikchu (Quechua machu old, old person, pikchu peak; mountain or prominence with a broad base which ends in sharp peaks, old peak, pronunciation [ˈmɑtʃu ˈpixtʃu]) is a 15th-century Inca site located 2,430 metres (7,970 ft) above sea level. Another Inca bridge was built to the west of Machu Picchu, the tree-trunk bridge, at a location where a gap occurs in the cliff that measures 6 metres (20 ft). It could be bridged by two tree trunks, but with the trees removed, there was a 570 metres (1,870 ft) fall to the base of the cliffs. Travel With Us. Explore Machu Picchu with a National Geographic expert—delve into the world of the Inca on a nine-day expedition to Cusco, Lima, and the Urubamba Valley.  Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca site located on a ridge between the Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu mountains in Peru. It sits 7,970 feet (2,430 meters) above sea level on the eastern slope of the Andes and overlooks the Urubamba River hundreds of feet below. The explorer found Machu Picchu largely intact, having apparently never been visited by the Spanish conquistadors. In fact, the only reference to the site at all in Spanish documents is a mention of the word “Picchu” in a 1568 document, the text implying that it belonged to the Inca emperor. Embrace the spirit of adventure in Peru while exploring the Incas’ greatest legacy; Machu Picchu. Our top rated Peru and Machu Picchu tours capture the essence of the Inca culture. Adventures include visits to “must see” attractions in Lima, Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire, the Sacred Valley’s colorful Pisac market, Amazon Basin, Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu. Below you will find the most popular Machu Picchu tours and other unique destinations in Peru. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu http://www.machupicchu.org/ http://www.peru-machu-picchu.com/ https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu http://www.history.com/topics/machu-picchu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/peru/machu-picchu/ http://www.livescience.com/22869-machu-picchu.html http://www.machupicchu.com/
where is machu picchu