Machu Picchu: The Magnificent Sanctuary of the Inca

Peru’s distinct heritage has shaped a country where the people’s well-being and harmony with nature is treasured. Around 600 years ago, the Incas were the largest civilization in South America. In 1983, Machu Picchu was declared a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site and in 2007, it was voted one of the New7Wonders of the World by Swiss corporation New7Wonders Foundation. In the midst of a tropical jungle, the Incan city is surrounded by terraces and temples constructed with huge blocks of stone joined without any mortar. The Incas had special reverence for rock and stone, which were thought of as a living entity. At the highest point of the sacred complex sits the Intihuatana Stone. Machu Picchu was an important and sacred place to the Inca Empire, called Tahuantinsuyo by the Incas. The Incas worshipped deities from the environment, such as the Moon, the Sun, and thunder, which reflect the respect that the Incas had for nature. Natural formations such as rivers, mountains, and lakes are also considered sacred by the Incas.