Machu Picchu is tangible evidence of the
urban Inca Empire at the peak of its power and achievement—a citadel of cut
stone fit together without mortar so tightly that its cracks still can’t be
penetrated by a knife blade.
The complex of palaces and plazas,
temples and homes may have been built as a ceremonial site, a military
stronghold, or a retreat for ruling elites—its dramatic location is certainly
well suited for any of those purposes. The ruins lie on a high ridge, surrounded
on three sides by the windy, turbulent Urubamba River some 2,000 feet (610
meters) below.
Scholars are still striving to uncover
clues to the mysteries hidden here high in the eastern slopes of the Andes,
covered with tropical forests of the upper Amazon Basin. Machu Picchu appears
to lie at the center of a network of related sites and trails—and many
landmarks both man-made and mountainous appear to align with astronomical
events like the solstice sunset. The Inca had no written language, so they left
no record of why they built the site or how they used it before it was
abandoned in the early 16th century.
Landscape engineering skills are in
strong evidence at Machu Picchu. The site’s buildings, walls, terraces, and
ramps reclaim the steep mountainous terrain and make the city blend naturally
into the rock escarpments on which it is situated. The 700-plus terraces
preserved soil, promoted agriculture, and served as part of an extensive
water-distribution system that conserved water and limited erosion on the steep
slopes.
The Inca’s achievements and skills are
all the more impressive in light of the knowledge they lacked. When Machu
Picchu was built some 500 years ago the Inca had no iron, no steel, and no
wheels. Their tremendous effort apparently benefited relatively few people—some
experts maintain that fewer than a thousand individuals lived here.
In 1911 a Peruvian guide led Yale
professor Hiram Bingham up a steep mountainside and into the history books as
the first Western scholar to lay eyes on the “lost city” of Machu Picchu. While
indigenous peoples knew of the site, Peru’s Spanish conquerors never did—a fact
which aided Machu Picchu’s isolation, and preservation, over the centuries.
Today Machu Picchu is far from isolated.
In fact it’s a must-see for any visitor to Peru and the draw that compels many
to travel to that nation. Machu Picchu’s management challenge is preservation
of the site while making it accessible to all those who hope to experience an
incredible part of Inca history.How to Get There
On his first trip to the site Hiram
Bingham walked for six days. Today many choose to follow in his footsteps by
hiking to the ruins on the legendary Inca Trail. It’s an experience like no
other, but one no longer necessary. Train trips from Cusco take only a few
hours.
When
to Visit
Mountain archaeologist and National
Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Johan Reinhard offered this tip on how to
escape the crowds that typically fill the site by midday. “I traditionally
climb to the top of a nearby peak with a pack lunch and wait till the crowds
are gone,” he wrote in National Geographic Traveler.
How
to Visit
For the fit there is simply no
substitute for traveling to Machu Picchu the way the Inca themselves did—on
foot. Today the Inca Trail winds through the mountains and along the path of
the ancient royal highway. More than 75,000 people make the trip each year and
along the way experience some of the associated sites that were part of the
Inca network in this area.
It’s no longer possible to do the trek
independently. Due to heavy use (and subsequent environmental impact) the trail
has become heavily regulated. Visitors must sign up with an organized group to
tackle either the classic four-day route or a recently added two-day option.
Reference : National Geographic
About PRABISH BISHUNGKHE
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