\nSet high upon the crest of a mountain ridge above Peru\u2019s Sacred Valley lies the fabled 15th Century Inca citadel Machu Picchu.\n
A site that bestows wonder upon all who make the journey to its soaring heights, this marvel of Inca architecture is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th Century.\n
Despite it being the most preserved archaeological site of the Inca Empire, there are no records of the purposes of Machu Picchu, due to the Inca language being only spoken, not written.\n
As a result of this lack of knowledge, there have been many wild theories when it comes to Machu Picchu, which is a large reason why it draws so much intrigue.\n
So, what do we really know about Machu Picchu? Let\u2019s take a look at the cold, hard facts.\n
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The Machu Picchu archaeological site lies in a saddle between the peaks of Machu Picchu (the mountain) and Huayna Picchu.\n
Although confusing at first, the naming of the site after the mountain it rests beside actually makes more sense than you\u2019d expect.\n
In the official language of the Inca Empire, Quechua, Machu Picchu translates into \u201cOld Peak\u201d or \u201cOld Mountain\u201d.\n
This makes you wonder whether it was originally called this, or whether its name was lost over the ages and replaced with the nearest geological landmark.\n
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When Hiram Bingham stumbled upon the ruins of Machu Picchu in 1911, he was quick to share his discovery with the Western world.\n
A lesser-known fact, though, is that he was actually led there by a Peruvian guide by the name of Melchor Arteaga.\n
In fact, Machu Picchu was never really lost. This is a common misconception largely due to it never being reached by Spanish Conquistadors in their invasion of Peru in the 16th Century.\n
While the local indigenous people were well aware of its existence, the Spaniards never managed to even come close, which is something that we should all be thankful for today.\n
If they had, it\u2019s safe to say that there wouldn\u2019t be much left to marvel at anymore.\n
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Not only was Machu Picchu never lost, but it\u2019s also possible that Bingham wasn\u2019t even the first Westerner to set eyes upon it.\n
It has been long claimed by various scholars that the German adventurer and businessman Augusto Berns reached Machu Picchu and plundered it 44 years previously, in 1867.\n
There are even maps that show reference to the ruins as early as 1874, strengthening the theory that Bingham was certainly not the first there.\n
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Machu Picchu wasn\u2019t exactly what Bingham was searching for when he made his epic journey into the Andes.\n
When he set out, he was really in search of the \u201cLost City of the Incas\u201d. Also known as the Vilcabamba, where the last rulers of the Inca Empire held out against Spanish tyranny until their demise in 1572.\n
After excavating the ruins of Machu Picchu Bingham made the conclusion that he had found the Lost City, and published his findings.\n
Although they were wildly incorrect, the did lead to worldwide interest in Machu Picchu.\n
This of course prompted a further thorough investigation, as well as the millions of visitors that flock to the now-famous ruins every year.\n
Ironically, Bingham actually stumbled upon the ruins of the lost city on his way towards Machu Picchu, but dismissed it without much thought and continued on his journey.\n
It wasn\u2019t until 1964 that Gene Savoy identified the ruins as Vilcabamba, which is widely accepted among scholars, historians, and archaeologists as true.\n
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After Bingham returned to Machu Picchu in 1912 and started excavating the site, he made the suggestion that it was used as a sanctuary for Virgins of the Sun, of the Inca religion.\n
At the time of the Spanish invasion, there were several thousand of these virgins, otherwise known as Chosen Ones, who were kept in temple-like convents.\n
Bingham made this suggestion as more than 75% of the first few dozen skeletons unearthed were primarily identified as female.\n
This theory has long been debunked, with the majority of skeletons actually being male, rather than female.\n
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There are many myths and legends of Machu Picchu being used as a site for human sacrifice, yet very little scientific evidence backs this fact up.\n
It\u2019s no small surprise though, as the fabled mountain citadel was originally thought to be a sanctuary for the Chosen Women, who among other duties often ended up as human sacrifices.\n
This theory was debunked of course, but there are plenty of other locations within the Inca Empire where such things did occur.\n
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Since its rediscovery, there has been a range of theories as to the purpose of Machu Picchu.\n
Some have claimed it was a mountaintop fortress, the last bastion of the Inca warlords, while others believe it was a university and place of scholarship.\n
Based on all available evidence and the style in which Machu Picchu was constructed there is just one theory that is believed to be most likely.\n
This theory states that it was a palace for the then ruler of the Inca Empire, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, who reigned from 1438 to 1471.\n
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Set over a 5 mile stretch of land, Machu Picchu has nearly 200 known buildings, with more being uncovered regularly in further excavation works.\n
Ranging from temples to plazas, to residential buildings and baths, what little there is left to set eyes upon is still a marvel to behold.\n
Of all the structures unearthed and identified to date, the most impressive and of seemingly greatest importance, as well as being the most fabled is the Temple of the Sun.\n
The temple, otherwise known as Sacred Rock was used as a site for paying tribute and giving offerings to the sun, from what little we can gather.\n
Most of the stones shifted to the site of Machu Picchu weighed in excess of 50 pounds (22 kg).\n
Some ancient civilizations, such as the Ancient Egyptians, were known for their ability to shift vast quantities of stone and craft it into structures so impressive that they seem almost humanly impossible.\n
Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is not for the faint of heart.\n
Once you\u2019re there though, it doesn\u2019t get much easier on your legs.\n
After investigating these citadels and the surrounding area for more than 10 years, Dr. Rualdo Menegat presented his findings to the Geological Society of America conference in Arizona.\n
Despite lying at the intersection of a number of fault lines, this ancient citadel is actually resistant to earthquakes.\n
Unlike traditional building methods, Ashlar does not use mortar of any sort, instead of using stone blocks that are cut to such extreme precision that they fit together in a remarkably similar fashion to Lego.\n
Don\u2019t be fooled though, you won\u2019t find giant satellites or telescopes here.\n
Unfortunately, most uses of this sacred stone have been lost to the sands of time.\n
Yep, you heard that right. For better or worse, Machu Picchu is more accessible than ever.\n
At Aguas Calientes, you are faced with two options: the easy way or the hard way.\n
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