One of the Seven Wonders of the World

Machu Picchu is Peru's most popular tourist destination, with over one million tourists each year. It is not just one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Machu Picchu, as you may know, is a citadel erected by the Incas in the 15th century. It was, however, abandoned in the 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Peru. No one knows why Machu Picchu was abandoned, but many scholars assume that the Inca people left to help in the struggle against the Spaniards.

After the Incas were vanquished, Machu Picchu was abandoned. However, what distinguishes Machu Picchu from other Inca sites is that it was never discovered by the Spaniards. Machu Picchu, perched atop the Andes Mountains above the Urubamba River, was virtually invisible to everybody but the natives. Machu Picchu was discovered hundreds of years later exactly as it had been left (except a small amount of weathering), making it one of the best-preserved Inca ruins on the planet.