Machu Picchu
How did Machu Picchu escape the destruction of the European conquistadors?
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Machu Picchu was a city built from stone during the Inca Empire. It is located in southern Peru and is situated on top of a mountain in the Andes mountains. Machu Picchu was never found during the Spanish conquest in the 1500s; therefore, it wasn't destroyed as the other Inca cities were. Machu Picchu was discovered in 1911 by explorer Hiram Bingham. What was left of the lost city was in ruins, but the site is still a magnificent one to see.
Perched on a mountain over 7,000 feet above sea level, the city is believed to have been built around 1450 for the Inca king, Pachacuti. The city includes over 140 buildings, as well as over 100 flights of stone steps. Machu Picchu has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, attracting half a million visitors each year.
