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News: Nearly 1,000 tourists stranded near Machu Picchu, Peru, after train services were suspended due to protests against a new bus company contract.
About Machu Picchu
| Aspect | Details |
| About | 15th-century Inca citadel, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; UNESCO World Heritage Site (1983). |
| Location | About 80 km northwest of Cusco, Peru; in the Cordillera de Vilcabamba of the Andes; altitude 2,350 m (7,710 ft) between peaks Machu Picchu (Old Peak) and Huayna Picchu (New Peak). |
| Built By | Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (1438–1471 CE) as a royal estate/retreat. |
| Rediscovery | 1911 by Hiram Bingham (American explorer/Yale professor). |
| Features | Temples (Sun, Three Windows), Intihuatana Stone (sundial), palaces, tombs, terraces, aqueduct system, ceremonial & residential areas. |
| Access | Train to Aguas Calientes + bus/hiking Inca Trail (3–6 days). |
| Tourism | Attracts almost 4,500 visitors daily; Peru’s most important tourist site. |
| Significance | Showcases Inca architectural & engineering mastery; generates major foreign exchange for Peru. |
About Inca Civilization
Aspect | Details |
Timeline | Flourished c. 1400–1533 CE in ancient Peru. |
Extent | Largest empire in the Americas; largest in the world at its time. |
Society | Highly stratified; emperor with aristocratic bureaucracy. |
Architecture/Technology | Advanced stone masonry, agriculture terraces, aqueducts. |
Religion | Mix of animism, fetishism, nature worship (Sun, Moon, mountains, rivers). |
