What makes machu picchu so important

Imagine going out into the jungle to explore an ancient city that is said to be above the clouds. The city of Machu Picchu was built in the 15th century. There are many theories as to what the use for this hidden city was. It is nestled at the top of a mountain between the Andes in the middle of a cloud forest after all. It was definitely not an easy place to reach for anyone. Machu Picchu seems to have been built as a center of worship to the Inca gods as well as a way to study astronomy.

The Incas were very dependent on the sun, the stars, and the moon in order to correctly plan their yearly harvest. There are various temples in the city that are dedicated to making offerings, having ceremonies, and even the occasional sacrifice in order to have a good harvest. Machu Picchu is important to the locals because it was a resting place for the royal family of the Inca Pachacutec, the founder of the entire empire known as the Tahuantinsuyo.

For years many have believed that the city of the Inca was not just a type of summer property for the Inca royalty but also the mausoleum for Pachacutec. Machu Picchu was important to the Inca because only high ranking members of the tribe would be allowed in. Think of it this way, The Incas were already the most high-ranking tribe in the entire continent at the time.

To be allowed into Machu Picchu meant you were basically royalty of the highest caliber. The stone city would only harbor around — people at a time. The stone city was an important place for the Inca. It was a city that had plazas, various temples, storage rooms for food, waterways, canals, precincts, and plazas. There are different floors and entire neighborhoods within Machu Picchu.

This city located on the top of a mountain to this day still has the beautiful Inca terraces where they grew certain crops. These terraces were used in agriculture and were fed via a very complex system of waterways. Locals from the region had known about its existence for hundreds of years prior. Built in the fifteenth century, Machu Picchu could have simultaneously served as a center of worship, place for astronomical observation, and as a rest place of the royal family of the Inca Pachacutec, founder of the Inca Empire, or Tahuantinsuyo.

Others believe that the Citadel of Machu Picchu was a luxurious and well maintained mausoleum of the Inca Pachacutec. Based on the size of the citadel of Machu Picchu, between to people of a high social rank lived there.

It is considered by many to be the most spectacular urban creation of the Inca Empire and one of the most important heritage sites in the world. It sits on top of a mountain, 8, feet 2, meters in the tropical forest, offering spectacular scenery with significant endemic biodiversity of flora and fauna.

The Incas. May not be around much longer. The history. The Inca Trail. The culture. The adventure. Bragging rights. The memories. Give us feedback. Read Next View. Atiq Boutique Hotel. Uros Qhota Uta Lodge. Life Hotel Valle Sagrado. I knew about Machu Picchu, but there was so much more to learn from this amazing art of a beautiful place.

As are alpacas. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Home » 12 cool facts about Machu Picchu in Peru. Each stone was precisely cut to fit together so tightly that no mortar was needed to keep the walls standing I promise, this is cooler than it sounds. Image by Heather Kelly. Image by Hannah Jarvis. Image by Peter Orchard. Image by Ciara Johnson.

Machu Picchu Peru South America. Lake Titicaca Homestay. View trip. Real Peru to Bolivia. Jenna Hoare I love the perspective solo travel brings and the relationships built when staying in a new place for a little longer. You might also like.